Montgomery County police detained four people Wednesday afternoon after finding evidence of a shooting in the 6600 block of Rockledge Drive in Bethesda. The scene is less than half a mile from Walter Johnson High School.
No injuries were reported. The shooting did not occur on school property, the Montgomery County Police Department said on X.
Officers were dispatched to Rockledge Drive at 12:10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, for a report of shots fired, according to Bethesda Magazine, which first reported the incident. By 12:45 p.m., police said they were investigating whether the report was valid and confirmed no one had been hurt.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) placed Walter Johnson and six nearby schools in secure status as a precaution. MCPS spokesperson Liliana López identified the affected schools:
- Walter Johnson High School
- North Bethesda Middle School
- Ashburton Elementary School
- Wyngate Elementary School
- Tilden Middle School
- Luxmanor Elementary School
- Rock Terrace School
Under secure status, students and staff move indoors, outside doors are locked and all students are accounted for. Classes continue inside the building, according to the MCPS website.
By about 1:10 p.m., police said on X that four people had been detained in connection with the shooting. Officers were still investigating the validity of the report even after the detentions. Police said they did not yet have information about the detained individuals' ages and that detectives were still working to identify them.
López said the secure status was lifted at about 1:50 p.m. and all seven schools returned to normal operations. The police department confirmed the lifting in a separate post on X, noting that the scene was secured.
Walter Johnson High School sits at 6400 Rock Spring Drive. Residents with information about the incident can contact the Montgomery County Police Department at 240-773-6237.
