THOMASVILLE, N.C. — A body was found early Wednesday morning at Ledford Middle School in Thomasville, according to Davidson County Sheriff's Office.
A caller reported seeing the body near one of the back doors.
Deputies do not believe this is an attempted break-in and there is no threat to the campus. The school was closed for investigation.
Investigators haven't identified the person but said the body has been sent to the medical examiner's office for an autopsy. It could be six months before they receive a toxicology report as well.
Deputies said they did not find a gun on this person either.
There were no reports of the person knocking on doors Wednesday morning.
Davidson County Schools released the following statement on Wednesday:
Upon arriving at work prior to 6:00 a.m., an employee discovered an individual who appeared to be deceased on school grounds. School officials and law enforcement were immediately notified and an investigation rapidly began. The campus had to be closed and the scene secured while law enforcement investigated and evaluated the security of the entire campus.
Unfortunately, many of the buses were already in route when the determination to cancel school was made. Buses were directed to Ledford High School and parents were notified to pick their children up there. Ledford Middle School staff led this process. Ledford Middle School and Ledford High School staff members should be applauded for handling such an uncertain situation with profound professionalism.
Once detectives with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office cleared the scene at Ledford Middle School and deemed the campus safe, staff was allowed to report to the building. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office reports that this is an isolated and random incident and there is no threat to the public as a result of this matter. They are not seeking any suspects.
We are very appreciative of the job by officers with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. The entire campus was canvassed to ensure a safe return for students and staff. The investigation is ongoing and any additional information related to the deceased individual will be provided by law enforcement. At this point, there is no apparent connection between the individual and Ledford Middle School. Thoughts and prayers are with the family who will be mourning a loss of a loved one.
