Escalante Middle School was placed on a brief lockout Thursday morning while the Durango Police Department searched for a man suspected of shoplifting and brandishing a firearm at the nearby Walmart.
The incident occurred about 6:20 a.m. when a man reportedly tried to steal $440 worth of merchandise, including electronics, tools and a small amount of groceries, said Cmdr. Ray Shupe with the police department.
Chad Kesselhuth, 32, of Durango was arrested on suspicion of felony robbery. He was being held Thursday at the La Plata County Jail on $25,000 bail.
After being caught trying to steal the items, Kesselhuth climbed into a white Ford pickup and left the parking lot, Shupe said. A store security guard followed the pickup in another vehicle.
The pickup traveled south on Escalante Drive toward Home Depot. While en route, Kesselhuth allegedly jumped out of the truck, which was being driving by someone else, and ran toward the security guard with a pistol, Shupe said.
Police reviewed security footage from inside the store and were able to identify the suspect, he said.
“We’ve had multiple contacts with him, which is why our officers recognized him right away,” Shupe said.
The police department and La Plata County Sheriff’s Office spent several hours search for Kesselhuth. They eventually found him at 10:17 a.m. at the Super 8 motel in Bodo Industrial Park.
“We really want to give a shout out to our partner agency, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office; they really did a lot today to assist us in tracking down folks and keeping things moving,” Shupe said.
Durango School District 9-R issued a “non-emergency” message at 8:15 a.m. advising parents that because of police activity in the area, there would be an increased security presence at Escalante Middle School. Parents were asked to drop off students near the entry of the school and have them immediately enter the school.
Escalante Middle School is south of the Durango Walmart.
The lockout was in place only during the drop-off times at the school, said Julie Popp, spokeswoman for the school district. The lockout was lifted by 8:20 a.m., she said.
The school is effectively in lockout at all times because it has a video buzzer system, she said. But during a formal lockout, outdoor activities are canceled.
shane@durangoherald.com
