Decatur, GA — Decatur Police have released new information about a disturbance that caused a soft lockdown at Beacon Hill Middle School on Friday.

In unrelated news, DeKalb County Police provided information about the destruction of an ATM at North DeKalb Mall that involved an explosive device.

Due to a parent’s behavior, Beacon Hill Middle School in Decatur went into a soft lockdown on Friday, March 31.

According to an email sent to parents, the school was placed on a brief, soft lockdown “due to a parent creating a public disturbance in the lobby that disrupted school operations.”

The email said the parent assaulted a district employee. She also bit a police officer, according to Decatur Police.

“On Friday, March 31, 2023, at approximately 9:58 a.m., Decatur Police responded to Beacon Hill Middle School in reference to an adult female who was causing a disturbance at the school,” Decatur Police Sgt. John Bender said. “School staff explained to officers the suspect was a parent of a child at the school and was inside the school’s front office to meet with administrators. The suspect was unhappy with what was explained to her by administrators and began to use vulgar language and make verbal threats toward staff. The suspect then exited the building and was met by Decatur Police. Outside of the school, the suspect continued to act loudly and boisterously, disrupting the school. The suspect was informed she was under arrest for disorderly conduct and disruption of a public school. The suspect began to struggle with officers. During the struggle, the suspect struck a school employee and bit a police officer.”

The suspect, a 31-year-old Decatur resident, was handcuffed after a struggle and transported to the DeKalb County Jail. She was charged with battery, obstruction of a police officer, disrupting a public school, disorderly conduct, and possessing marijuana within 1000 feet of a school. She also had two outstanding warrants from other agencies.

In a different and unrelated story, DeKalb County Police responded to North DeKalb Mall after someone blew up an ATM. Police responded to an alarm call at the mall around 3:15 a.m. on March 29, a spokesperson for DeKalb County Police said.

When officers arrived, “They observed the exterior ATM was damaged due to an unknown explosive device.”

“We are currently the lead investigators but are working closely with local, state, and federal partners to ID the person responsible,” the DeKalb County Police spokesperson said. “Anyone with info is encouraged to call our Homeland Security unit at 770-724-7552.”

Decaturish has requested the police report in connection to this case.

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