Parents Report Man with Gun at Villa Cresta Elementary

Baltimore County police officers "flooded" Villa Cresta Elementary in Parkville Monday afternoon after parents reported seeing a man with a gun on school grounds, according to a school system spokesman.

At around 3:20 p.m., before school dismissal, parents waiting to pick up students told Villa Cresta administrators that they saw a man carrying a long gun running across a field on the school campus, said Charles Herndon, a school system spokesman. The man reportedly then jumped into a white work van that drove off.

Herndon said school staff immediately notified police, and kept students in the building for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

"Police responded in force," Herndon said.

Students were dismissed after administrators received clearance from police.

"Officers and school staff were outside with the students when [the students] walked to their buses," he said.

Police spokeswoman Louise Rogers-Feher said the call about the man came out at 3:28 p.m., and confirmed that officers are still in the area. A police helicopter also responded to the scene.

Herndon said Villa Cresta's principal is preparing an emergency alert message to send to families.

Stay with Patch for updates.