CHESAPEAKE, Va. - A man walking with a pitchfork caused lockdowns at several Chesapeake schools Wednesday morning.
The man, who police called "suspicious," was seen walking in the 400 block of Providence Road around 10 a.m.
A volunteer at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, along Providence Road, says she heard someone banging and trying to open their front doors.
"He had a six foot pitch fork," says Tammy Stocks. "It upset me, I'm still a little shaken. I don't even know why. I didn't even really see his face, but the pitchfork and body movement, I just started shaking."
Stocks and another volunteer saw him heading down the road towards Indian River High and decided to call 9-1-1.
Georgetown Primary, Indian River Middle, Indian River High and Chesapeake Alternative schools went into lockdown at the request of Chesapeake Police.
The man was taken into custody and was questioned by police before being released. A spokeswoman says he did not have a pitchfork at the time and said he was working in the area and needed to use a bathroom.
Stocks says that does not explain a small hole left near the doors or the pitchfork.
"I'm very scared, I will not come here by myself and work."
The lockdowns were lifted and the schools went back to normal operations.
