Crime
Report of person with gun at Germantown High School was not credible
The GHS campus is safe and secure and we will resume all activities at GHS as normal beginning Saturday, October 26th.
UPDATE: At 6:20 p.m. on October 25th, a call was made to the Germantown Police Department via 911. reporting an unidentified individual was seen with a gun at Germantown High School.
Germantown Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s office swiftly reported to GHS. Individuals in the building either evacuated or took shelter.
Germantown Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s swept the entire building to secure employees that took shelter after the 911 call.
The report of an individual with a weapon was not credible and the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office confirmed the building and staff were safe and secure.
An individual was transported by EMT because of a medical condition due to the stress of the situation.
The GHS campus is safe and secure and we will resume all activities at GHS as normal beginning Saturday, October 26th.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
On Friday night, October 25th, Germantown High School was placed on lockdown after reports of a person with a weapon.
Germantown Police Department, in conjunction with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies, responded to the incident.
Officers, including those equipped with rifles, surrounded the school building.
A drone was also deployed to assist in the search.
While the situation is still under investigation, the school appears to be secure.
No further details have been released at this time.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA โ A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple Universityโs campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple Universityโs Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
โThe loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victimโs family and loved ones.โ
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victimโs last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individualโs involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.