NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine — Several schools in Somerset County went into lockout Wednesday morning while police conducted a search for suspects in connection with an alleged armed robbery and home invasion in the town of Norridgewock.
Three people—one woman and two men—were taken into police custody Wednesday and have been charged with armed robbery, Somerset County Sheriff Dale P. Lancaster said, following an alleged robbery and assault around 8 a.m. at a home on Airport Road in Norridgewock. Their identities have not yet been released. The man who was reportedly assaulted suffered injuries not considered life-threatening.
Lancaster said the suspects stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the home and left on foot, fleeing into the woods. The woman was found around 8:30 a.m., but the two men were found later at an old farm on Route 2 in Norridgewock around 1:30 p.m. The sheriff told NEWS CENTER Maine the suspects were not dressed for cold-weather conditions and were evaluated by medical professionals before being taken into custody.
All suspects were taken to Somerset County Jail.
RSU/MSAD 54 superintendent Jon Moody's office confirmed Wednesday morning that all schools serving Canaan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan, and Smithfield went into lockout at about 9 a.m.
A lockout, according to the district, is when all students and staff must remain inside the building for the duration of the school day or until further notice from the administration. All doors that allow inside access to the school building are locked, and all people requesting entrance into school buildings must enter through the front door and be buzzed into the building by administrative staff.
In a letter to the community, Moody wrote that the district was informed about an "alleged armed robbery" in Norridgewock.
The lockout was lifted at about 1:30 p.m., after the suspects were reportedly taken into custody, Skowhegan police Chief David Bucknam told NEWS CENTER Maine. Bucknam also said school dismissal and activities were expected to proceed as normal.
Police were present at the schools "out of an abundance of caution," according to Moody, and Skowhegan police offered the sheriff's office aid in setting up a perimeter at Mill Street Elementary School in Norridgewock to free up more deputies to help in the search, Bucknam added.
"I'm thankful to have the coordination we have with police. It was pretty immediate ... and they have continued to follow up," Moody told NEWS CENTER Maine.
New Balance and the town's waste management facility were also on lockdown Wednesday during the search, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
Norridgewock town manager Richard Labelle told NEWS CENTER Maine the sheriff's office directed the town to lock down all municipal buildings.
Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss confirmed to NEWS CENTER Maine that Maine State Police are assisting the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office was also aided by Skowhegan and Fairfield police.
The Maine Forest Service and Maine State Police Airwing offered support from the skies during the search as well.
The investigation is ongoing.