Custodian arrested, found hiding in girls’ locker room during game at West Virginia high school: police

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BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. - A Berkeley County Schools custodian is facing dozens of charges after being discovered inside a girls’ locker room during a high school basketball game.

What we know:

Berkeley County Schools says the incident happened during a girls’ basketball game at Martinsburg High School involving the visiting team from Hedgesville High School.

According to the district, a custodian identified as "Mr. Shoup" was discovered hiding inside a closet within the visiting team’s girls’ locker room during the game.

Law enforcement was contacted immediately and responded to the school, where the individual was apprehended. Authorities say a total of 29 charges have since been filed.

School officials said that, in coordination with the Martinsburg City Police Department and administrators from both schools, all students involved were interviewed and families were contacted that same evening.

The district says it is cooperating fully with law enforcement as the investigation continues. Officials also confirmed that Mr. Shoup will not be returning to Martinsburg High School or to Berkeley County Schools.

The district stated that it follows a comprehensive hiring process that includes background checks for all employees.

What they're saying:

"The safety and dignity of our students is non-negotiable. What happened is deeply concerning, and our priority is supporting the students and families impacted. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement and will take every appropriate step to ensure accountability and to strengthen supervision and access procedures around student areas at school events." — Dr. Ryan Saxe, Superintendent

In a message to families and staff, the district said it understands the incident may raise serious concerns within the school community but noted that additional details cannot be shared at this time to protect privacy and preserve the integrity of the investigation.

The district also said support services have been initiated for students who may need assistance as they process the emotional impact of the incident.

What we don't know:

Officials have not released details about the specific charges filed or provided additional information about when the man entered the visiting team's locker room. 

What's next:

The investigation remains ongoing. School officials say they will continue cooperating with law enforcement and will strengthen supervision and access procedures around student areas during school events.