Andrews Police Department responds to lockdown at high school
Cherokee County Schools, News November 30, 2017
ANDREWS, N.C.- Andrews Police Department released a statement via Facebook, about the lockdown that occurred at Andrews High School today. The statement posted on Facebook reads:
“The Andrews Police Department (APD) would like to inform the community that there was lockdown at Andrews High School due to a domestic situation that arose out in the county earlier this morning.
“Andrews police officers were on the scene investigating a secondary incident and following up on the lockdown when a 911 call came in that a subject with a gun was in the building. The reporting parent rushed to advise Andrews officers that they had just received a text message from the child that an armed subject was in the school.
“Andrews officers and SROs (School Resource Officers) reacted immediately to the threat and began an immediate search of the school. The school was cleared and secured rapidly and APD officers along with SROs and the school staff had the situation under control.
“There were no armed individuals located in or around the school and no injuries were reported.
“The school superintendent responded and requested the sheriff respond with secondary support for the incident. The superintendent (along) with the sheriff made the decision to release school for the day. Andrews officers along with SROs and CCSO (Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office) deputies remained on scene to provide security for children and families while school let out.
“Andrews Police Department would like to commend the students, teachers and parents of Andrews High for their cooperation and understanding in a high-stress situation.”
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UPDATE: After Andrews High lock down, schools will have early dismissal
News, Police & Government November 30, 2017
UPDATE: Cherokee County Schools made an announcement on Facebook concerning the lock down that is occurring at Andrews High School. The posted announcement reads:
“There is no impending Danger to students in the Andrews area; however, due to parent concern, Andrews area students will be released immediately. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
ANDREWS, N.C.- At about 11:30 a.m. this morning, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department announced that Andrews High School is on lockdown. At this time, it is unsure whether all of the schools in Andrews are on lockdown as well. The announcement posted on Facebook reads:
“The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is aware that Andrews High School is currently in a lock down. This protective measure was taken by the Andrews High School due to a current domestic situation where a non-custodial parent had made statements about coming to the high school and removing a student.
“There is no current information to indicate that the individual who made the statements is on the grounds of the school. Presently all students and staff are safe and secure. The lockdown has been accomplished to ensure continued safety.
“The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with the Cherokee County Schools Company Police, and the Andrews Police Department continue to work with the school’s staff during this situation.”
Continue to check back with Fetch Your News as more information develops.
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Security training provided for places of worship
News December 10, 2017
MURPHY, N.C.- The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office announced via Facebook Sheriff Derrick Palmer will be providing security training to places of worship this holiday season.
The announcement on Facebook reads:
The North Carolina Sheriff’s Association (NCSA) has convened a group of sheriffs and sheriff’s personnel from across the state to develop training materials that will help places of worship create security plans to keep citizens safe during the holiday season.
The group was established by Sheriff Hubert A. Peterkin (Hoke County, N.C.), President of the NCSA, at the suggestion of Sheriff John W. Ingram V (Brunswick County, N.C.) as a result of recent attacks at community gatherings and in places of worship in the U.S. and abroad.
The group’s goal was to prepare materials to be used by sheriffs and their personnel to train places of worship to develop security plans designed to minimize harm done in the event of an active shooter.
“When you’re a sheriff, you have to be prepared for many different types of events in order to effectively protect the citizens that you serve. In light of last summer’s tragic attack in a Charleston (S.C.) church, North Carolina sheriffs from the mountains to the coast have received requests to provide training at churches and other places of worship regarding appropriate security measures,” said Peterkin.
The NCSA Church Security Group worked this fall to develop materials that all sheriff’s offices in North Carolina can use to provide training, upon request, to places of worship in their county. The training is designed to teach church personnel and members how to attempt to prevent critical incidents and how to react if a critical incident occurs during worship services.
“We have typically felt safe in our communities without much thought of danger in our places of worship. However, recent events have shown that no community is safe. From Charleston, South Carolina, to Sutherland Springs, Texas, we see that no community is exempt from tragedy. It is our duty to provide training to any place of worship that desires to be proactive and help make our communities as safe as possible,” said Sheriff Palmer.
Topics discussed in the training materials include:
– Conducting a Security Risk Assessment;
– Developing a Place of Worship Security Plan;
– What to do during the Critical Incident;
– What to do immediately after the Critical Incident; and
– The need to provide Crisis Intervention Stress Management afterward.
“The sheriff’s of North Carolina are dedicated to assisting the churches and houses of worship in their counties with security and safety training to improve public safety across our state. A place of worship should be a place of peace and a safe haven,” said Peterkin.
Sheriff Palmer will be leading this training on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, at 7 p.m. The location will be at Little Brasstown Baptist Church 6120 Harshaw Rd, Brasstown, NC 28902. All citizens are invited to attend.
Anyone with questions concerning the training seminar can contact the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office at 828-837-2589.
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Convicted felon found with semi-automatic guns and drugs in Murphy
News, Police & Government November 29, 2017
MURPHY, N.C.- Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced that on Nov. 25, 2017, Victor Thomas Jacob Runge, 23, of Murphy, North Carolina, was arrested for charges involving illegal possession of drugs and a stolen gun.
On or about Nov. 25, 2017, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was assisting the North Carolina Highway Patrol who was operating a driver’s license checkpoint. As Runge, who came through the checkpoint, was questioned concerning his driver’s license, Runge was observed reaching for something in the center console. During a incident to arrest search of the vehicle, a stolen semi-automatic pistol was located, which later was identified as being stolen from Athens, Tennessee. Additionally in the search, a quantity of suspected methamphetamine was seized along with U.S. currency. Additional investigation revealed that Runge was previously convicted of a felony and was not allowed to have a firearm in his possession.
Runge was transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center where the North Carolina Magistrate set a $30,000 secure bond for the following charges: felon in possession of firearm. possession of stolen firearm, possession of methamphetamine, carrying concealed weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia. Runge is expected to appear in Cherokee County District Court on Dec. 5, 2017.
Sheriff Palmer stated, “This had the potential of a very bad ending. We do not know what this individual’s intentions were by reaching toward the console where the gun was found, but alert officers were able to diffuse the situation and get drugs and guns off the street. This is a great example of the teamwork we enjoy with fellow agencies in Cherokee County. We appreciate the cooperative effort of the Troopers and all the law enforcement agencies that help keep Cherokee County safe and secure.”
Sheriff Palmer asks if you should have any information concerning this case or any other case, to report suspicious activity and suspected violations of the law and please call 828-837-3144 or submit a tip at [email protected].
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Murphy Middle, Martins Creek Elementary will compete at FIRST Lego League State Championship
Cherokee County Schools December 4, 2017
CHEROKEE, N.C.- Forty-eight schools across the state competed in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League (FLL) robotics competition hosted by Cherokee High School in Cherokee, North Carolina, Saturday, Dec 2., 2017. The Lego League is the elementary and middle school version of FIRST Robotics.
In the state of North Carolina, North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T) serves as the affiliate partner (AP) for FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge.
The theme for this year’s FIRST Lego League competition is hydrodynamics. The teams had to design a robot that would show how to improve the way people find, transport, use or dispose of water.
North Carolina is a two-division championship tournament region between eastern and western North Carolina. The top 13 finalists from both the eastern and western regions, will compete at the state competition.
Only 13 schools from the western division were able to advance to the state competition, and out of those schools, Murphy Middle School and Martins Creek Elementary were two of the schools that will be advancing.
The region that wins at the state competition will then go onto the southeastern competition, which will have teams from several different states in the southeastern United States.
The teams from the western region that will be advancing to the state competition are:
BMS Robotics – Brevard, N.C.
Hydro Knights, Fairview School – Sylva, N.C.
The HydroMechanics, Fairview School – Sylva, N.C.
Minifigures, Cullowhee Valley School – Cullowhee, N.C.
Programming Professionals, Shining Rock Classical Academy – Waynesville, N.C.
Chaotic Robotic, Martin’s Creek School – Murphy, N.C.
Koontz Battering Rams, Koontz Intermediate School – Asheville, N.C.
Circuit Overload, Murphy Middle School – Murphy, N.C.
Accidental Genius, Summit Charter School – Cashiers, N.C.
Tarheel Terminators, Smokey Mountain School – Whittier, N.C.
Lego Lords, Summit Charter – Cashiers, N.C.
Hydrobots, Macon Middle – Franklin, N.C.
Narwhal Nation, Cullowhee Valley – Cullowhee, N.C.
The state championship will be held January 20 and 21, 2018, in Greensboro, North Carolina, on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.
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Murphy woman charged with felon child abuse
News, Police & Government November 29, 2017
MURPHY, N.C.- Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced that on Nov. 20, 2017, Lilyaunna Helene Kiff-Hall, 17, of Murphy, North Carolina, was arrested for charges involving injuries to an infant.
On or about Nov. 15, 2017, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a physician at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who stated that earlier in the day an infant was flown from the Martins Creek community in Cherokee County to their hospital as the child was experiencing breathing issues. The physician further explained that after examining the infant, there were injuries that were consistent with child abuse. The information provided was given to Investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee County Department of Social Services.
Upon receiving the information, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office commenced an investigation that included search warrants for the residence of the infant. During the search, items of evidence were collected, which included at least one cellular device.
Kiff-Hall was arrested at the Cherokee County Detention Center on Nov. 20, 2017, and presented to the North Carolina Magistrate who set a $50,000 secure bond for felony child abuse inflicting serious injury. Kiff-Hall is expected to be in Cherokee County District Court Dec. 5, 2017, at 9 a.m.
Sheriff Palmer stated, “This is a very sad situation, especially this time of the year. We appreciate the cooperative effort of the Cherokee County Department of Social Services who are partnering with us. Our investigation is far from over, and we expect additional charges as we progress.”
Sheriff Palmer asks if you should have any information concerning this case or any other case, to report suspicious activity and suspected violations of the law and please call 828-837-3144 or submit a tip at [email protected].
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