Dear Washington-Liberty Families and Staff:

I wanted to provide you with an update about this morning’s incident. Just before 8 a.m., the school received an anonymous call that there was a shooter in the building. Staff immediately notified the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and placed the school in lockdown.

Students and staff were immediately placed in a secure location while the ACPD conducted its investigation and were later dismissed for the day as a safety precaution. Fortunately, everyone is safe, and the police did not find any evidence of a real threat.

We received the “all clear” from ACPD after dismissal today and will open on time and resume our normal schedule tomorrow, Oct. 7. There will be additional police presence at school tomorrow.

I want to commend staff and students for how they conducted themselves during this incident. These occurrences are frightening for everyone involved, and we are grateful for the quick response by Washington-Liberty staff, as well as the ACPD to keep our staff and students safe. APS and the ACPD take these threats seriously. We are cooperating and working closely with law enforcement to provide our complete support to every way possible.

Every school has an established safety plan and lockdown procedures that contribute to maintaining a safe learning environment for our students. In the wake of this incident, school personnel will be reviewing those plans and continuing our ongoing relationship with the ACPD to ensure we do everything we can to maintain the safety and security of our schools.

Additional Supports
APS counselors and the Employee Assistance Program will be at W-L tomorrow to provide resources to help students and staff that need additional resources to process today’s events.

Update on Afterschool Activities, Retrieving Vehicles from the Parking Deck
Coaches and sponsors will follow up directly with their students about afternoon activities. Students who drove to school and parked in the I-66 parking deck are now able to pick up their cars.

Homecoming 2021
Generals, weekend homecoming events are still scheduled. We do, however, understand that after today’s lockdown, some families may have reservations about attending homecoming events this weekend. Students can visit room 1019 or email your grade level assistant principal if you would like a refund.

Again, I want to thank students and staff for how they handled this morning. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Tony Hall
Principal,
Washington-Liberty