ROMULUS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Romulus man has been charged in connection with a shooting near Romulus Middle School earlier this week that prompted a lockdown.
Related story: Secretary's quick thinking prevents tragedy at Romulus Middle School
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Shawntez Marshaun Gregory, with False Report or Threat of Terrorism, Schools – Intentional Threat to Commit Act of Violence Against School, School Employees or Students with Specific Intent to Carry Out or Overt Act, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Possession of a Weapon in a Weapons Free School Zone, Reckless Use of a Firearm, and two counts of Felony Firearm in connection to the incident.
Watch below: 'She could just tell': Secretary's quick thinking prevents tragedy at Romulus Middle School
Watch Brittany Toolis' video report below
Gregory was outside of Romulus Middle School around 9:50 a.m. when he attempted to enter the building.
Prosecutors say he was about a foot away from the building when he fired the gun several times. He did not fire at the school.
“This case is every parent’s nightmare. The defendant allegedly fired a gun several times in proximity to the school when he was denied entry to get his son," Worthy said in a statement. "The immediate reporting of an active shooter by the school allowed the Romulus Police to quickly respond and apprehend the defendant. Luckily, no one was harmed."
During the arraignment, Gregory swore multiple times at the judge and refused to answer some questions. You can see the arraignment in the video below.
Secretary Maria Scott had an immediate feeling something was wrong and refused to buzz him in.
Principal Paul Niedermeyer praised Scott's adherence to protocol and her instincts.
"She totally followed protocol. As soon as he arrived at the door, she spoke to him. And as soon as she spoke to him, she could tell that something was wrong and if she would've hit the button and buzzed him in, it would've been a lot different story," Niedermeyer said.
When Scott refused entry, the man began banging on the door while brandishing his firearm. Within seconds, the school was placed on lockdown and police were called.
"That's the first thing you worry about, right? It's like how do we keep them safe, for sure," Niedermeyer said about his immediate thoughts regarding student safety.
Police arrived within minutes, followed shortly by Superintendent Dr. Benjamin Edmondson.
"When I was driving over, it felt like it was a 9/11 moment for me. It was so surreal," Edmondson said.
The superintendent emphasized that safety has always been a priority for Romulus Community Schools. The district conducts multiple active shooter trainings throughout the school year and has installed weapons detection systems at all school buildings within the last few years.
However, Edmondson noted that sometimes, experience and intuition are just as important as technology and training.
"If we had had a guest, it looks different. If we had had a guest at that desk, it looks different," Edmondson said, highlighting the importance of Scott's experience and instincts.
Watch our previous report when the incident happened below:
Scott took Wednesday off to decompress from the incident, while district social workers remained at the middle school to provide support for students.
While acknowledging that communication wasn't perfect — some parents didn't receive automated emails or calls about the lockdown — Edmondson said the district will work on improvements while celebrating that everyone remained safe.
"I'm not perfect. We're not perfect. But you know what — everything worked out perfectly," Edmondson said.
