Man who made threats against schools escapes hospital; schools lockdown 

A man who threated violence against schools has been found after leaving a Dunwoody hospital without discharge Dec. 6, according to Dunwoody Police Department (DPD).

DeKalb County School District (DCSD) and DPD confirmed that five DCSD schools were placed on a lockdown Dec. 6. were due to a hospital patient who left Peachford Hospital in Dunwoody without being “properly discharged.” The patient, whose identity DPD has not released, was admitted into the hospital after making threats to “shoot up” schools several days before, according to DPD officials.

The man is now in police custody, according to DPD.

DCSD issued a level-one lockdown, where movement at a school is monitored, to schools near the hospital because of the patient’s threats. DPD said the lockdowns were precautionary.

Peachtree Charter Middle School, Chestnut Elementary Charter School, Dunwoody Elementary School, Dunwoody High School and Vanderlyn Elementary School were placed on a level-one lockdown.

DCSD officers were present at the schools during the lockdown and DPD officers are investigating the incident.

“It should be noted that the patient was not armed with any weapons when he left the hospital and the lockdown was placed only due to the previous threats made by the suspect,” DPD officials said in a statement.