UPDATE: Police Release Details on Threat Against Washington College

UPDATE: The Chestertown Police Department (CPD) has released new information regarding the threat made against Washington College on Tuesday.

Police say they received a call from someone inquiring as to what would happen if he went onto Washington College’s campus and committed a crime of mass violence, specifically if he were to shoot members of the school’s administration and Public Safety Officers. Police determined the threat to be credible due to the information provided by the caller.

Officers worked quickly to gain information on the caller’s identity and his possible whereabouts. CPD also contacted the school’s Department of Public Safety and briefed them on the situation. A “shelter in place” order was issued by College officials, while law enforcement secured the campus and continued their investigation.

Police identified 25-year-old Grafton Steele Howard of Chesapeake City, a former student at Washington College, as the caller. With assistance from the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), Howard was located at his residence in Chesapeake City, and taken into custody. He was transported to a local hospital for an emergency mental health evaluation. Following his release from the hospital, Howard was arrested by CCSO on multiple counts related to the threat of mass violence. He was also served with an Interim Extreme Risk Protective Order; a court order that prohibits him from purchasing or possessing firearms and ammunition for the duration of the order. It also requires him to surrender all firearms and ammunition to law enforcement.

Howard was seen by a District Court Commissioner in Elkton and was ordered to be held at the Cecil County Detention Center without bond. He later had a bail review in front of a District Court Judge, and was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

CHESTERTOWN, Md. – A lockdown at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland has been lifted and normal operations have resumed.

According to the Chestertown Police Department, there was a heavy police presence on campus earlier in the day in response to a credible threat made by a known person.

Police say a subject is currently in police custody and no injuries occurred as a result of the incident.

This article was originally published on Jan. 20 at 11:40 p.m.