MACON, Ga. — Schools in Macon have been placed on lockdown after four men escaped from the Bibb County Jail.
The Bibb County School District sent a message to parents just before Noon on Monday.
Here is the entire message sent to Bibb County School parents:
"This is to notify you that ALL Bibb schools will be on precautionary lockdown today to ensure the safety and security of students and staff following notification from the Bibb County Sheriff's Office that four inmates escaped the Bibb County Detention Center on Oglethorpe Street in Macon. As a reminder, precautionary lockdown limits outdoor activity, but instruction continues as normal inside the building. There is no reason to assume schools are at danger, but precautions are being taken to ensure safety. Thank you."
Stratford has also put a soft lockdown into place. Here is the statement from the Head of School, Dr. Rachel Adams.
"During a soft lockdown, instruction will continue, but students and staff remain indoors with limited access between buildings. Afternoon carpool will operate as usual with increased. We have implemented a campus-wide precautionary "soft lockdown" for the safety and security of our students and staff today. This is in response to the notification from the Bibb County Sheriff's Office that four inmates escaped from the Bibb County Detention Center this morning. We have NO reason to believe our campus is in danger, but precautions are being taken to ensure safety of our students and staff."
FPD, Mount de Sales and Tattnall Square Academy all confirmed that they are also on some form of a lockdown.
FPD said they were on a soft lockdown, Tattnall Square Academy said they were on a level one lockdown and Mount de Sales said they were on a lockin. Each school will continue as usual, but no one is allowed outside the building.
The inmates escaped the jail through a damaged window and a cut fence. A blue Dodge Challenger pulled up to the location, and the inmates got in the car and left the jail around 3:00 a.m. Monday.
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office sent a press release at 11:20 a.m. The four men include 52-year-old Joey Fournier, 29-year-old Chavis Stokes, 25-year-old Marc K. Anderson and 37-year-old Johnifer Barnwell, according to the release.
Fournier was arrested and charged with murdering his ex-girlfriend in early 2022 at a Barrington Hall home. Anderson was in jail for Aggravated Assault. Stokes was arrested in a 2020 drug bust. Barnwell was convicted earlier this month of Armed Fentanyl, Meth, and Heroin Trafficking and was arrested by the U.S Marshals.
13WMAZ will provide additional updates when they are made available.