UPDATE: Washington College closed until further amidst gun threat

A heavy presence of law enforcement were among the only people on the Washington College campus Tuesday, as school officials made a decision to close campus until further notice.

The decision was made after new information was gathered by police on Washington College sophomore Jacob Marberger. His parents told school officials their son returned home Monday morning and may have retrieved a firearm.

Jerry Roderick, the director of Public Safety at Washington College, explained the school worked with local and state law enforcement agencies to reach the decision.

“When new information comes in, you have to evaluate what you’re working with and as these things go…new information is constantly coming in and we don’t have always the time frame and the time that we’d like to analyze and evaluate but you got to make decisions.” Explained Roderick.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Washington College president Sheila Bair said the school has been asked to not release that new information pending the investigation; however, school officials did say Marberger’s recent history with the school played a role in their decision to close campus until further notice.

According to Public Safety, Marberger brought an antique 22-rifle seven shot revolver to campus and apparently showed it to students on October 9th; however, it wasn’t until an anonymous tip on October 23rd that campus police investigated.

Roderick says there was no evidence proving Marberger had the gun so the case was open, but inactive until new compelling evidence surfaced on the 27th. The gun was eventually found on the October 29th, unloaded. Marberger was then questioned and temporarily suspended. According to school officials, this was the same day Marberger was reportedly kicked out of his fraternity Phi Delta Theta.

He was allowed to return to campus following an evaluation last week. Prior to the reported gun-incident in early October, Roderick says Marberger claimed he faced a bullying issue.

Despite not having any direct threats made to the university, authorities say they decided to not take chances following the recent notice from Marberger’s parents.

“So when we got the information that he in fact returned home in the morning hours of Monday and a gun was possibly removed from the house…we took immediate steps to lock the campus until we can get a better understanding of what was going on with him these are all precautionary measures but given the history.” Explained Roderick. “We have reason to believe that we needed to take these steps.”

As of Tuesday, students living on campus who had a way to get back to their hometowns were told to leave. Those who could not were helped by the university or urged to stay with friends.

47ABC spoke to Nicolette Forte, a freshman at Washington College, just before she hit the road with a classmate.

“I don’t think they’re taking it too far, because there’s really no taking it too far when something like this happens.” Says Forte. “Like they don’t even know where his mind is at or where he possibly could be so for them not to react would be more terrifying to do all of this. I’m actually glad that they’re doing it.”

As for Margberger, police say his last known location is in Pennsylvania. School officials have confirmed there is now a warrant out for his arrest.

According to the Chestertown Police Department, the October 9th incident also ties Marberger to four charges including the possession of a dangerous weapon on school property, possession of a firearm by a minor, a handgun on his person, and an illegal possession of ammo.

Sheila Bair, president of Washington College, says the lock-down will handled by a day-to-day determination.

“He obviously is a troubled young man.” Says Bair. “We hope he comes home. We hope he calls his parents and comes home to people who love him and give him the treatment that he needs but at this point, we have to exercise every possible precaution to protect our students which we’re doing.”

According to Bair, there were less than 50 students still on campus by 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jacob Marberger is asked to contact the Chestertown Police Department at 410-778-1800 or Public Safety at 410-778-7810.