By Caitlyn Meisner | cmeisner@alextimes.com
On Aug. 29, according to police scanner traffic and an anonymous tip to the Times, a seventh grade student walked out of Francis C. Hammond Middle School. The first notice came over the Hammond radios at 1:53:07 p.m. when a female administrator described what the student was wearing and asked for him to be escorted to the seventh grade office if found.
The same female administrator came on the radio again at 2:06:57 p.m. to repeat the information about the student. Two administrators copied, then a string of “all clears” were transmitted over the radio until 2:12:09 p.m. when the request was repeated as the student had not yet been found.
More administrators came on to relay the “all clear” of their hallways and the cafeteria. At 2:39:36 p.m., a school resource officer transmitted information about the missing student over the Alexandria Police Department dispatch radio.
“He’s currently truant. He was wearing all black. … No disabilities or other issues. He’s left before in the past in another school system,” the resource officer stated.
At 2:58:36 p.m., another school resource officer requested Fairfax County Police officers be sent to locate the student, as he previously lived and attended school in Springfield.
The Times has been unable to confirm whether the student has been located. Alexandria City Public Schools’ Chief of Community and School Relations Julia Burgos issued the following statement when asked about the student’s whereabouts:
“Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) does not comment on student matters.”
APD’s Communications Manager, Tracy Walker, released the following statement to the Times:
“On Aug. 29, 2024, APD was notified that a Hammond School Middle student left campus during the school day. He was reported missing and APD searched for the student well into the evening. The student returned home within 24 hours.”