After Passing through Security, Man Enters Pennsylvania School, Threatens to Kill Himself

A man threatened to kill himself inside the Sacred Heart School on North Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., Thursday morning, but was led out of the building without incident, officials said.

The man, whose name was not released, entered the building at about 11:30 a.m. and threatened to kill himself. Police and paramedics were called and the man was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital within minutes, said Wilkes-Barre police.

Police and a spokeswoman for the Scranton Diocese said they did not know if the man was armed. The school was operating as normal minutes after the incident, said school administrator Jim Jones.

During the incident, students were kept inside their classrooms and the man had no contact with children, Jones said.

Wilkes-Barre police said the man went to the building, thinking it was a church. The church is next door.

A spokeswoman with the Scranton Diocese said the man was buzzed into the building, which is locked with an electronic security system, after he said he had business in the building. A buzzer system is located outside the front door, and visitors have to be let in by someone inside the building.

It is uncertain who inside the school let the man inside.