Leonardtown High School (LHS) administrators arrived Friday morning to find extensive overnight vandalism after intruders broke in through a classroom window at about 2 a.m.
According to Principal Jamie Copsey, security video shows several masked individuals roaming the building. In their wake they left paint splattered on walls, oil dumped down stairwells, peanut butter smeared on doors and lockers, and even live chickens released inside the school.
Because peanut allergens can trigger severe reactions, students with documented peanut allergies were held in the bus loop while staff contacted their families to decide how those students would proceed with the school day. “Student safety is our top priority,” Copsey said, noting that custodial and maintenance crews immediately began a top-to-bottom cleaning and that certain hallways were temporarily closed to student traffic.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is reviewing security footage and other evidence. Copsey vowed to recommend “charges to the fullest extent of the law,” citing the danger posed by slick, oil-covered steps and the allergen contamination.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 301-475-8008. “If you see something, say something,” Copsey said, echoing the district’s safety campaign.
Crews expect to finish cleanup and repairs this weekend, but administrators said some traffic-pattern changes inside the school could remain in place into next week.
