Threat led to police presence downtown

Several streets in Lebanon City were closed Tuesday afternoon during an ongoing police incident.

Multiple fire police and at least one ambulance were called to the area of the 800 block of Chestnut Street at around noon to assist police with traffic control. Parts of Cumberland, Chestnut, 8th and 9th streets were closed.

Roads were reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic at around 4:15 p.m

Tuesday. Police said the investigation into the incident, which they said was not a hostage situation, will remain open and more information will be released upon completion of the investigation.

Police Chief Bret Fisher said that no one was arrested on the scene and that there was no use of force by police on the scene. Nobody was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon.

Dozens of officers were clustered around a building downtown, but the nature of the incident, which lasted roughly four hours, was unclear.

Fisher said the incident began due to a threat that was communicated to police by an individual in the building.

Lebanon City Police said in a news release that the incident was contained and there was no danger to the general public.

Lebanon School District temporarily locked down Harding Elementary, Lebanon Middle School and Lebanon High School in cooperation with police.

Officials said that the schools were on lockdown out of concern surrounding the incident.

The district later announced on its website that students would be dismissed, with Lebanon Middle being dismissed first, followed by Lebanon High School, with Harding to be dismissed at the normal time after receiving information from the police that the incident was contained.

Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham.

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.