Auburn schools locked down Tuesday afternoon

AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) Auburn schools went into lockdown mode Tuesday afternoon after a burglary in DeKalb County.

According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were sent to a possible burglary at a home on the 5200 block of County Road 31 a little before 1 P.M.  When they arrived, officers heard a gunshot in the woods nearby.

As a precaution, McKenney Harrison Elementary School and other area schools were along placed under locked down.

However, parents were given very little detail about what was happening.

"We just got a call from the school saying the school had been under lockdown, police officers were looking for someone, and they were going to hold the buses," said Jason Haiflich, a parent at McKenney Harrison.

The principal, Julia Tipton, said McKenney Harrison staff and students were prepared for a situation like this.

"We're happy we practiced and knew what to do," Tipton said.

State Police, Auburn Police, and DeKalb County Sheriff's deputies searched the woods and found the suspect in a tree stand about 300 feet from the home.  He had a shotgun and several other guns with him.

The suspect immediately jumped down and ran from officers.  He ran into a large patch of weeds were police were able to arrest him.

He was identified as 43-year old, Matthew S. Poeppel of Fort Wayne. 

Poeppel is charged with burglary, theft, and resisting law enforcement.