GLOUCESTER, Va. — A safety threat put a Gloucester County School Board meeting on lockdown for almost two hours.
An eyewitness said one unidentified man approached Gloucester's school board to accuse them of slashing his car's tires in an act of "political violence" against him.
The "slashing" incident allegedly happened during a previous meeting on June 13. Weeks later, when the man addressed the school board and then turned around to leave, people said they noticed he had a gun tucked into his pants.
"You could see it poking through the top of his pants," said one person who wanted to remain anonymous. "A person in the audience noticed and immediately notified deputies."
The unidentified man allegedly did not come to the meeting alone. Reportedly four others joined him and spread out across the meeting space.
The eyewitness said about half of the men seemed to be carrying their own guns and knives.
"It was 100% an act of intimidation," said the eyewitness. "The fact that someone brought a firearm, or multiple firearms, onto school property is unacceptable."
Gloucester deputies then allegedly followed the men outside and put the entire school board meeting on lockdown. The eyewitness said it took almost two hours for deputies to try and disarm the men.
School board members sent statements to 13News Now reacting to the incident.
"I, Kellie Lockerby, Vice Chairman of the Gloucester County Public School B,oard denounce any time of violence or attempted intimidation of any elected officials," stated Lockerby.
At this time, it is unclear if the unidentified man faces any charges for his alleged actions. 13News Now reached out to Gloucester's Sheriff's Office and the Commonwealth's Attorney but did not yet receive a response.