At approximately 6:30 a.m. parents received a notice from Assistant Superintendent Tim Armstrong that all South Gibson schools would be closed due to a fugitive in the area. 

The chase began on October 7, 2021 at approximately 7:15 p.m. with police receiving a report of an ongoing robbery at Menards in Princeton. The Gibson County police received a description of the vehicle and shortly after were able to find a vehicle matching the description. Deputy U.B. Smith observed a car on US 41 matching the description and upon trying to stop the vehicle a pursuit ensued. 

Police then set up stop sticks at US 41 and County Road 1025. Upon arriving at the location of the stop sticks the fugitive rammed his vehicle into a patrol vehicle that was beside the stop sticks and proceeded to run from the scene of the accident. 

Deputy Smith then gave chase briefly before the police set up a perimeter. The police then commenced with a lengthy search aided by a K9 unit, but the suspect was not located. 

On October 8, 2021, at around 6:30 a.m. the South Gibson School Corporation, after having discussed the situation with the Gibson County Police Department, decided to close schools in an abundance of caution. 

This decision to close schools caused many parents to question the logic behind keeping children at home rather than in school where they would potentially be safer. 

“More risk leaving kids home alone because parents have to go to work, just put the school on lockdown,” concerned citizen Mary Jones said. 

The report of South Gibson schools being cancelled on the “Gibson County News & Talk” facebook page had numerous concerned citizens and parents questioning the decision. 

“Wouldn’t the kids be safer at school,” concerned parent Kevin Wallace said. 

South Gibson School Corporation’s Superintendent, Stacey Humbaugh, discussed the situation with the Gibson County Police Department and found another reason to cancel school today. 

“In discussion with law enforcement, I made the decision so students would not be standing at the bus stop since we didn’t know his location,” Humbaugh said.

If Gibson Southern would have stayed in session, the school does have many protocols to ensure student safety.  The building would have went on a lockout or soft lockdown. On a soft lockdown, the school day would go on as normal but the exterior grounds would be secured by the school’s SRO and other law enforcement. They would check to ensure that those coming on campus (students coming from tech school, parents picking up students, workers at the school) were there for the right reasons. They would monitor the situation and if the fugitive moved towards GS, then we would have gone on a hard lockdown.  On a hard lockdown, students would stay in the classroom they are in.  No one would be able to enter or exit the building until the threat was no longer imminent.

At approximately 7:20 a.m. multiple concerned citizens reported a suspicious man walking along Interstate 69. Sergeant Mattingly of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Smith arrived at the scene, and confirmed that the man was indeed the wanted fugitive. The man, who was found to be 33-year-old Logan Robert Brandewie, was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail. Brandewie is set to face numerous charges and was found to have a felony warrant out of Vanderburgh County as well.