An area elementary school was briefly placed on lockdown Tuesday afternoon during a police manhunt.
Selma Elementary School was placed on lockdown after a suspect wanted by Harnett County authorities jumped and ran during a traffic stop by Selma Police.
Selma Police Captain R.L. Daniels said an officer stopped a vehicle on River Road several blocks from the school. Two people in the car jumped and ran on foot. One of the men was identified as 23 year-old Charles Reginald McDougald of Erwin who goes by the street name of “Bones”.
McDougald was wanted by Dunn Police for a string of robberies in 2016 including the Fairfield Inn, Dominos and the Roza Mart.
Captain Daniels said McDougald ran in the opposite direction of the school, however a person near the school claimed they saw McDougald running near the campus. Several children were on the playground at the time.
As a precaution the children were sent back into the school building which was placed on a precautionary lockdown.
A Smithfield Police K-9 responded to the area and tracked McDougald in the opposite direction of the school until losing the scent. Police lifted the lockdown after learning McDougald was never near the campus.
As of late-Tuesday, McDougald was still at large.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Selma Police at 919-965-8189 or Dunn Crime Stoppers at 910-892-222. Callers to the tip line may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. The tip line is answered 24 hours a day.
