Aberdeen High School locked down on Wednesday because of nearby shooting

A shooting at an apartment building prompted the lock down of Aberdeen High School on Wednesday afternoon.

An 18-year old woman was shot in the left leg after an argument with the alleged shooter, according to an Aberdeen Police Department news release. The alleged shooter, Gregory A. Davis, 56, from Aberdeen, fled the scene in a white Chevrolet pickup truck west of the area. Davis is considered armed and dangerous.

Aberdeen Police were sent to the scene of the shooting, which happened in the 200 block of North F St. in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen High School was placed on a lockdown after Aberdeen Police notified the school district’s office. The school was on lockdown from about 12:35 p.m. to about 1:05 p.m., said Aaron Royko, principal at Aberdeen High School.

“Fortunately, for our schedule, we had an early release,” Royko said. “The kids stayed in the building until we got an all-clear.”

He said the modified lockdown — where no one is allowed in or out of the school building — worked out well for the school, because it kept the students and staff safe on the campus. He’s thankful for the good communication the school has with Aberdeen Police.

“We released the kids once we got the all-clear,” he said. “We have a lot of kids who get picked up.”

A few minutes after the lockdown was over, people were seen outside the school as if a shooting hadn’t just occurred. People with backpacks were walking around and one was on a skateboard.

But, a block away, yellow tape with “Police line, do not cross,” was affixed to street poles on the outside of the alley behind the apartment building at 213 N. F St. Next to the small parking lot that is on the other side of the alley was an Aberdeen Police SUV with Detective Sgt. Dave Cox inside.

Cox said police had responded to a shooting.

“We’re investigating a shooting that happened in one of the units,” he said as he stood near his gray SUV, which was parked perpendicular to the apartment building.

Cox added, “The lockdown is protocol because we’re a block away from the school.”

The Aberdeen Fire Department responded to the scene of the shooting and transported the victim to Harbor Regional Health Hospital, the news release states.

Anyone with information on Davis’ whereabouts is requested to call the Aberdeen Police Department at 360-533-3180, or the Grays Harbor 911 Center at 360-533-8765.