A man is dead after a hours-long barricade that led to several schools being put on lockout in Dundalk on Tuesday, according to Baltimore County police. 

Around 9 a.m., Battle Monument School, Charlesmont Elementary School, and General John Stricker Middle School in Dundalk were placed on lockout as police responded to an armed and barricaded suspect, Baltimore County police reported.

Residents in the area were asked to shelter in place. 

The barricade ended shortly after, around 1 p.m., according to police.

What prompted the barricade? 

The school lockdowns were issued after a neighbor reported that there was shooting damage on their property around 7:30 a.m.

Police responded to the 2500 block of Gray Manor Terrace, and once they arrived on the scene, a person in a nearby home began shooting at them. Officers returned fire and called for a barricade. 

"When officers arrived on the scene and began to conduct that investigation, someone from a nearby residence began to fire upon them," Baltimore County police spokesperson Joy Stewart said. "The officers returned fire and called for a barricade."

Several local, state, and federal agencies responded to the scene to assist, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with Harford County and Baltimore City police.

Crisis negotiation and tactical teams spent hours attempting to calm the suspect down. Officers later found the man dead inside the home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

It is unclear if he owned the home or what events led up to the initial shooting. 

According to officials, a woman came out of the home, but it is unclear if she was being held hostage. 

Neighbors react to barricade, lockdowns

A Dundalk neighbor told WJZ that she heard gunshots when she returned from taking her grandson to school.

"I got out of my car, and I heard pop, pop, and then I heard, saw the officer standing there, and I heard more gunfire," the neighbor said.

The neighbor said she saw the man down the street with a gun.

"I didn't know who it was at first," the neighbor said. "I didn't know the guy personally, but just knew him from the neighborhood, like why is somebody shooting at the police?"

A student at General John Stricker Middle School told WJZ he was on a field trip, but his younger brother was in the school during the lockout.

"I got like a notification that there was something going on, and I instantly got worried because I was over an hour away on a field trip, and I have a little brother who goes here," said student Carmen Cutson.

Crime in Baltimore County 

Overall, crime has been declining in Baltimore County. In 2023, there were a total of 61,154 criminal offenses reported in the county. in 2024, there were 58,561 criminal offenses reported, according to Baltimore County Police data.

Many of the crimes reported between January 2024 and January 2025 were theft, assault or fraud offenses. In 2024, there were 665 weapons violations reported in the county.