Two Hempfield schools were on lockdown at the request of state police Friday morning, according to the district’s website.
Officers were looking for Mark Eugene Ray, 59, of Hempfield, who fled from police who tried to arrest him around 10:30 a.m. on ethnic intimidation and related charges, Penn Township Police Chief John Otto said. Ray has been free on $10,000 unsecured bond since a 2017 arrest on ethnic intimidation and harassment charges after he was left threatening voice mails at a Penn Township church.
The search put West Hempfield middle and elementary schools on lockdown until around 11:15 a.m., the notice on the district’s site reads. Students were not in danger, but nobody was permitted to leave or enter the building.
District executive assistant Pamela Gibasiewicz said alerts were sent to parents.
