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Juvenile faces charges for carrying airsoft gun near Bowie High School

The shelter-in-place at the school was lifted after the juvenile was taken into custody.

BOWIE, Md. — A juvenile was taken into custody Wednesday for walking near Bowie High School with what appeared to be a long-range gun. That gun was later determined to be an airsoft pistol, which investigators said closely resembled the real thing.

At 12:47 p.m., officers with the Bowie Police Department received a call regarding a suspect with a long gun standing outside of the Bowie Library on Annapolis Road.

When officers arrived on scene, the suspect had already possibly fled in a dark colored vehicle.

A review of surveillance video showed a man walking around wearing a white T-shirt, black pants armed with some type of long gun.

Bowie High School, which shares the parking lot with the library, went on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after it was reported the suspect was possibly hidden inside the school. 

A shelter-in-place was ordered for the main building as well as the Bowie Annex.

Officers searched the school for the suspect but did not initially locate him.

Based on the surveillance footage, the juvenile suspect was identified, and he was apprehended on foot a short distance away from the school at 3 p.m.

Police say he was not armed at the time of his arrest, but the weapon was recovered and determined to be an airsoft pistol.

The shelter-in-place was lifted and students were dismissed after the suspect was taken into custody.

City of Bowie Police investigators are coordinating with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office about potential charges. 

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