Gunman barricades himself inside school

PINE PLAINS, N.Y. (WIVB) - It was a terrifying situation for dozens of middle and high school students outside of New York City.

Some of the kids were able to communicate with their parents through text messages during the tense standoff.

A gunman walked into a high school in Pine Plains, New York and took the principal hostage.

The drama unfolded just before 8 a.m. at Stissing Mountain High School, about 90 miles north of New York City.

One student made a daring escape from a window.

The SWAT team surrounded the sprawling middle and high school campus.

They said a former student, 42 year old Christopher Craft pulled out a gun after he got into school and barricaded himself in the principal's office.

After an hour of negotiations, Craft surrendered and was led away.

During the standoff, some students re-assured their parents that they were okay.

Mother, Hope Laponte exclaimed, "He's telling me that he was not afraid, but some of the children are afraid."

"Before this came out, my daughter called me and said mom there's a gunman in the school right now, she said we're in lockdown, I don't know where my brother is. I have three children up there, one in the middle school and two in the high school. It was very frightening," said one mother.

The suspect, Christopher Craft was reportedly well-known to police.

They said he has had several run-ins with police.

But Tuesday's standoff ended with no shots fired.