Why two Houston County schools went on lockdown during police investigation

An elementary school and middle school in Centerville went on lockdown Tuesday afternoon after a shoplifting suspect led law enforcement on a brief pursuit near the campus, authorities said.

Centerville Elementary and Thomson Middle schools were placed on a code yellow following the incident, Houston County School District officials confirmed.

“A code yellow means that something is happening in the neighborhood near the schools. All doors are locked during a code yellow, but classroom instruction continues,” district spokesperson Jennifer Jones said in an email.

The lockdowns happened after Houston County 911 first dispatched officers to a Ross store at 2620 Watson Blvd. at 12:53 p.m., following reports of a robbery in progress, according to a Warner Robins Police Department news release. Just six minutes later, the nature of the call changed from robbery to shoplifting.

Police said the suspect fled the store in a vehicle, which was soon spotted by Centerville police. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the driver did not comply, resulting in a short car chase. The chase ended near Collins Drive and Wilson Drive when the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.

Because the incident took place close to an elementary school, administrators activated lockdown protocols to ensure the safety of students and staff during the search for the suspect, law enforcement said. But Houston County schools said Thomson Middle also went on lockdown. The two schools are less than a mile apart.

The schools’ principals sent call-out messages to notify families about the brief lockdowns, as well as to reassure safety.

“Even though no one on campus was ever in danger, we wanted to keep you informed,” Thomson Middle School Principal Scott Wynn said. “As always, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Thank you for your continued support of Thomson Middle.”

Centerville Elementary School Principal Marcie Shaw sent out a similar message to the elementary school’s stakeholders.

The incident remained under investigation Wednesday, police said. Warner Robins police are following active leads related to the shoplifting and other alleged offenses connected to the pursuit.

This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM.