Schools across the region are on heightened alert today as police investigate multiple incidents at schools in Manassas and Stafford County. While no immediate danger has been reported, authorities are taking extra precautions to ensure student and staff safety. Incident at Osbourn High School, Manassas At 12:23 p.m., Manassas City Police responded to a suspicious event at Osbourn High School. The School Resource Officer (SRO) quickly began an investigation and contained the situation. According to police, no current threat exists to the school, and operations are continuing as usual. Additional police presence will be maintained while the investigation continues, though officials have no plans to alter the school day. Social Media Threats in Stafford County In Stafford County, school officials and law enforcement are addressing threats circulating on social media, particularly at the middle school level. The messages reportedly made general threats of harm to multiple schools in the area. However, law enforcement has thoroughly investigated the claims and does not believe the threats are credible now. Stafford County law enforcement emphasized their commitment to school safety and encouraged the community to report suspicious behavior. “If you see or hear anything of concern, say something right away,” said local authorities. “Report it to your School Resource Officer, school administrator, or teacher.” Both school districts have reassured parents that they are maintaining vigilance and working closely with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of students and staff. No disruptions to the school schedule have been announced in either county, though parents and students are encouraged to stay informed and report any concerns.

*Incident Alert* at 12:23pm Police responded for a suspicious event at Osbourn High School. The SRO began an investigation and contained it immediately. The schools are operating normally with no plans to change that. There is an extra police presence during the investigation. pic.twitter.com/pa78pfRZVp

— Manassas City Police (@ManassasCityPD) September 12, 2024

Prince William County Police sent a press release on Friday afternoon about the death of an unnamed 61-year-old man who died in a single-vehicle crash on Wednesday.

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On September 5, 2024, at 8:39 a.m., Manassas City Police responded to a call reporting a suspicious event near the intersection of Quarry Road and Zebedee Street.

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Manassas Park Police, with assistance from Prince William County Police and their Cadets, have closed Signal Hill Park on Signal View Drive in Manassas Park. The park, located approximately a mile and a half from the home of missing mother Mamta Kafle Bhatt, is closed immediately. Bhatt, a frequent visitor to the park, has been missing, triggering extensive searches.

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Update 5:40 p.m.: Naresh Bhatt has been charged with concealing a dead body. It is a felony charge of Prohibition Against Concealment of Dead Body in violation of Section 18.2-323.02 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended. He is being held without bond at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center.

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9:38 p.m. -- Manassas Park Police have determined the husband of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, Naresh Bhatt, is a person of interest. They also said he is no longer cooperating.

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The Sentara Century Building at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center in Woodbridge is closed today due to a gas leak affecting all medical appointments at this location. There are plans to update the reopening status later this afternoon.

The Sentara Century Building houses several specialty medical offices, including the Sentara Advanced Imaging Center Century, Sentara Cancer Network Resource Center, Sentara Internal Medicine Physicians, Sentara Surgery Specialists, and the Sentara Therapy Center Century. These facilities provide a range of services, from advanced imaging and cancer resources to internal medicine, surgical specialties, and therapeutic treatments, catering to the diverse medical needs of the community.

Press release:

The Sentara Century Building, located on the campus of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center at 2280 Opitz Blvd. is closed today, due to a gas leak detected outside of the building. Washington Gas is currently onsite addressing the situation. There are no reported injuries to patients or medical personnel. However, all offices in the Sentara Century Building are closed for the day.

The closure affects patients who had scheduled appointments with the Sentara Imaging Center, Sentara Therapy Center, and Sentara Medical Group at the Century Building location. Patients will be contacted by staff to reschedule. People with appointments at the other medical practices located in the Century Building should expect to hear from their provider with information on rescheduling those appointments.

A notice on the status of the building’s operation for Tuesday, August 20, will be released later in the afternoon.

Visitors entering the main parking lot should proceed to the entrance near the Surgical Services Center to access the parking lot as the main entrance by Opitz Blvd. and Potomac Center Blvd., is closed for the day.

With some students returning to class tomorrow, parents in Stafford County are expressing frustration and concern as some students have yet to be assigned bus routes for the upcoming school year. In a letter sent to families, Karim Johnson, the Executive Director of Transportation Services, acknowledged the delay and apologized for the oversight, assuring parents that his team was working diligently to resolve the issue.

The first day of school for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grade students is tomorrow, Monday, August 12, 2024. All other students will return to school on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Johnson emphasized that the transportation team works around the clock to ensure all students receive their bus assignments by Monday evening.

“We fully understand how stressful and inconvenient this situation is, especially as you’re preparing your children for their first week back at school,” Johnson wrote. “We deeply regret that this issue has not yet been resolved, and we are truly sorry for any anxiety this has caused.”

The letter also included a request for parents to drive their children to and from school during the first week if their child’s bus route is not assigned by Monday evening. Johnson acknowledged the inconvenience this request may cause and apologized for the disruption it may cause.

Parents are encouraged to check the MyRideK-12 app for updates on their child’s bus route assignment. Johnson assured families that the district is doing everything possible to resolve the issue quickly and that no student will be penalized for being tardy or absent due to transportation problems.

The school division is without a full-time superintendent after Dr. Thomas Taylor left the school division in June to lead public schools in Montgomery County, Md.

More as we have it.  Here is the full letter:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to address an issue that I know is causing significant frustration and concern for many of you. It has come to our attention that some students have not yet been assigned a bus route for the upcoming school year. Please accept our sincerest apologies for this delay and oversight. Our team is working diligently to complete the routes and bus assignments as quickly as possible

We fully understand how stressful and inconvenient this situation is, especially as you’re preparing your children for their first week back at school. We deeply regret that this issue has not yet been resolved, and we are truly sorry for any anxiety this has caused.

Our team is working around the clock to ensure that all students receive their bus route assignments by Monday evening. We know that the current uncertainty is far from ideal, and we genuinely appreciate your patience as we finalize these arrangements. Please continue to check MyRideK-12 for your child’s assignment through Monday night.

If, by Monday evening, your child’s route still hasn’t been assigned, we ask for your continued understanding. If possible, we would be grateful if you could drive your child to and from school during the first week while we complete the routing process. We know this is not a small request, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

We want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to resolve this as quickly as possible. Your child’s safety and your peace of mind are incredibly important to us, and we are committed to making things right. Please know that your child will not be penalized for being tardy or absent as it relates to a bus assignment or transportation issue.

If your child does not need transportation, please disregard this letter.

Thank you for your understanding and for bearing with us during this frustrating time. We ask that you continue to check the My Ride K-12 App for updates.

Please accept my sincere apologies,

Karim Johnson

Executive Director of Transportation Services

Updated 10:50 a.m. Thursday, August 8 — From Prince William police:

Death Investigation – On August 7 at 9:56PM, officers responded to a residence located in the 1900 block of Fort Monroe Cr in Dumfries (22026) to investigate a death. When officers arrived at the home, two individuals, a 33-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, were located inside the residence suffering from gunshot wounds. Both parties were known to one another and pronounced dead on scene. At this time, the incident appears isolated to the residence and there is no active threat to the community. The identities of the deceased will be released pending next-of-kin notification. More information will be released when available. Anyone who may have information that can aid in the investigation is asked to contact the police. The investigation continues.

Original post 11:58 p.m. — A shooting occurred in the 1900 block of Fort Monroe Court in Dumfries, resulting in the deaths of two people in Williamstown. Police were called to the scene at 9:56 p.m. Upon arrival, authorities pronounced the victims dead.

Initial reports indicate the incident involved a man and a woman. Police have confirmed there is no threat to the public. Area residents should expect a continued police presence while the investigation is ongoing.

We’ll update this story as soon as we have new information.

INCIDENT: #Shooting | #Dumfries; Officers are investigating a shooting in the 1900 block of Fort Monroe Ct. in Dumfries. There is no threat to the public. Area residents can expect continued police presence while the investigation continues. pic.twitter.com/D7LauYBML4

— Prince William County Police Department (@PWCPolice) August 8, 2024