Cierra Thompson

Herald Staff Writer

A Liberty Avenue man reported that an unknown male tried to enter his home for a robbery.

He told officers the suspect was 5 foot 7 inches, wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. The man said that the suspect shot him and ran away in an unknown direction. Officers found no one matching the suspect’s description after a neighborhood canvas was done. Officers on the scene determined there were no threats.

They also determined that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted and the man was transported to the hospital.

According to Superintendent Jeffrey Ramnytz, Officer Kenneth Cheatham, the resource officer at Barberton Elementary West, received information about the incident March 11. BEW Principal Brenda Sincel took the appropriate steps and put the building under a soft lockdown.

There were no threats made to the school, but as a precaution, adults were prohibited from entering or exiting the buildings.

While under lockdown, administration and teachers were notified of the situation, but they did not announce it to the students in order to avoid panic and distractions.

“When we were told things were clear and safe by police, we had the buildings call home to let parents know about the precautionary soft lockdown,” said Ramnytz. “I know there were some people that were upset because they did not know what was happening.”

He said they were not aware of the details of the situation but felt they needed to take precautions.

“Our number one priority is the safety and security of our students and staff,” said Ramnytz.