By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

A 53-year-old Hays man is facing charges of criminal threat and criminal use of a weapon after leading the Hays Police Department on a pursuit that ended at the roadway entrance to the Thomas More Prep-Marian campus Thursday morning.

According to Chief Don Scheibler of the Hays Police Department, officers responded to a report of a man having a conflict with a local business and threatening to “harm himself and his landlord” at approximately 9:15 a.m.

Scheibler said the when police arrived, the man left the scene in his vehicle, leading to a pursuit.

According to Scheibler, an officer used his vehicle to cut the man off near the entrance of Victory Road leading to TMP.

TMP was immediately notified while the incident was taking place, causing the school to implement their crisis plan involving a campus intruder and went into lockdown mode.

Coincidentally, TMP staff had just practiced their crisis and lockdown plan Wednesday.

“I was very impressed with TMP and their staff and their response to this incident,” Scheibler said.

He said police found a loaded 9 mm handgun on the front seat of the man’s vehicle.

TMP’s first day of school is Monday, but activities were scheduled on campus Thursday. TMP reported the lockdown lasted only about 10 minutes.