News Release, Charles County Sheriff’s Office
On May 2 at approximately 1:40 p.m., School Resource Officer Cpl. S. Cook received a report of a man in a wheelchair with what appeared to be a gun in the vicinity of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School. The school was immediately placed in a “shelter-in-place,” meaning no one could enter or exit the building and all doors were locked.
Patrol units responded and Sgt. D. Arends located the suspect, Cornelius Reginald Knott, 49, of Waldorf, on Village Street and St. Thomas Drive. He was carrying a pellet gun which had been altered to look like a handgun.
Further investigation revealed Knott had purchased the pellet gun earlier in the day and removed the orange safety markings, although it is not immediately clear why.
Knott was arrested and charged with disturbing the public peace and interrupting school operations. PFC M. Nauman is continuing to investigate.
