Marple Police Issue Statement on O'Hara Lockdown

Friday afternoon, Chief Tom Murray released a statement .

On Feb. 24 at 11:57 a.m. Marple police were notified that had an unwanted subject in the building. Of concern to school officials is that they had escorted the subject from the building at approximately 10:55 a.m. only to find at 11:38 a.m. that the subject had returned, according to the statement.

According to the statement, further information indicated that O'Hara school officials had lost track of the individual and out of an abundance of caution they locked down the school until they could locate and remove the subject from the premise.

Marple police Sgt. Mike Johnson responded to the scene and immediately secured the perimeter and began a search of the building. Other area police departments were requested to assist including , , Upper Providence Township, Media Borough, Nether Providence Township, and Haverford Township.

"As officers arrived they were directed to conduct searches throughout the
building," stated Murray in the release.

"School officials knew the subject as a former teacher who left under less than favorable circumstances several years ago and reported that the subject was not welcome in the school," stated Murray.

According to the release, investigators were able to gather the last known address of the former teacher and Pennsylvania State Police were asked to check the residence to see if he was there. While state police were at the residence the former teacher had arrived, and was briefly detained and confirmed as the man involved in the incident.

Considering there were no warrants for the individual, the former teacher was released pending further investigation, stated the release.

"School officials deserve a great deal of credit as they did everything right," stated Murray in the release. "They reacted swiftly and according to their procedures to keep those in the school safe by declaring a lockdown. At no time were any students or faculty threatened by the subject."

Police detectives are currently working with the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and charges are pending for defiant trespass and related offenses.

The former teacher is identified as Walter Lion, a 61-year-old white male who resides in Chester County, according to the release.