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Arrest made after Northwest Academy of Health Sciences was vandalized

Baltimore County Police
Posted at 4:40 PM, May 22, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-23 17:38:00-04

BALTIMORE COUNTY — Baltimore County police are investigating after a middle school was vandalized Monday morning.

It forced school leaders at Northwest Academy of Health Sciences to keep the doors closed to students and staff Monday.

Charging documents show that a man broke into the school and vandalized it before going to another establishment and doing similar damage.

RELATED: Baltimore County school cancels Monday classes after weekend burglary

Michelia Gooden-Evans is one neighbor who lives across the street from the school and she saw the commotion as she was out walking near the corner of Old Court and Mollye Road.

“My daughter catches the bus across the street. She goes to another school about two miles away, but this is her pick up and this morning the bus wasn’t in the usual location. I’m surprised. I saw at least five police cars and just didn’t know what was happening. I just saw a lot of police cars across the street didn’t know why they were there. I just figured maybe they were doing some testing or drills or something,” Gooden-Evans said.

Police say Monday morning, just before 6:30, Matthew Parry, 27, broke through the front door of the school before ransacking it, destroying property, breaking a glass window with a chair and stealing items before leaving the school.

Officers say when they arrived they spoke with the superintendent of the golf course who saw Parry swimming in a water hazard on the property and that he had already destroyed multiple no trespassing signs.

Police then found Parry laying on the ground near that golf course before arresting him.

"The principal here is great and after they found out what happened, he and his staff did a great job at making sure that the parents were at least aware of something happening," Derrick Thomas, parent of a 6th grader at the school, said.

Right now, Parry is facing several charges including burglary, malicious destruction of property, trespassing and theft.

School is back in session as normal, but parents are still on high alert hoping this doesn't happen again.