As per reports, at approximately 0745 hours (local time) on Friday (20 September) morning, deputies were dispatched to Sharon Dawes Elementary School after maintenance workers on the roof reported hearing gunshots and the sound of pellets striking the roof.

• The school initiated a lockdown as a precautionary measure, and deputies, along with Kanawha County School Security, were stationed inside the building to enhance safety, according to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO). Additional deputies and school security personnel, in coordination with the West Virginia State Police and US Marshals, began searching the area for suspects.
• The KCSO stated that they, along with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police, are investigating the incident. Individuals with any information are encouraged to contact 304-357-0169.
• Sharon Dawes Elementary School was closed for the day following the investigation into a shots-fired incident. As per KCSO, there is no indication of any ongoing threat to the school. However, school officials decided to close the school and send students home due to the seriousness of the incident.