Crime & Public Safety

Hilton Head schools briefly put on lockdown Thursday after gunfire is heard nearby, police say

All Hilton Head schools were placed on lockdown Thursday after gunfire was heard on Gum Tree Road, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

As of 12:30 p.m., police had lifted the lockdown and normal school activities had resumed, school spokesperson Candace Bruder said.

Police were called just before noon by officials from the Hilton Head Island Elementary School for Creative Arts, who reported hearing gunshots in the area, according to Maj. Angela Viens with the sheriff’s office.

The school as well as other Hilton Head Island schools were placed on a modified lockdown for safety precautions. A modified lockdown means students are able to switch classes as usual while all outdoor activities, such as recess or sports, are canceled.

Police searched the area but did not find any shell casings or any evidence of gunfire in the area.

No other information was immediately available.

This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 12:50 PM.

Sofia Sanchez
The Island Packet
Sofia Sanchez is a breaking news reporter at The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. She reports on crime and developing stories in Beaufort and its surrounding areas. Sofia is a Cuban-American reporter from Florida and graduated from Florida International University in 2020.
Mary Dimitrov
The Island Packet
Mary Dimitrov is the Hilton Head Island and real estate reporter for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette. A Maryland native, she has spent time reporting in Maryland and the U.S. Senate for McClatchy’s Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She won numerous South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in education beat reporting, growth and development beat reporting, investigative reporting and more.
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