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‘Swatting hoax’ puts Milford High School on lockdown
A 16-year-old boy is suspected of calling in the report of a student with a gun, according to police.
A Massachusetts high school went on lockdown Monday morning after authorities received a hoax report of a student in the bathroom with a gun, officials said.
Although the report was unverified, Milford High School was under a shelter-in-place order while police swept the building “out of an abundance of caution,” according to school officials.
The Milford Police Department said a male caller reported a student with a handgun shortly before 10 a.m. By 10:45 a.m., authorities had finished searching the building and lifted the lockdown after they deemed the call a swatting hoax.
Officers “conducted a thorough search of the school, including the area connected to the report, and spoke with students and staff,” Milford Superintendent Craig Consigli and Principal Joshua Otlin said in a statement. “Their review found no threat and no weapon.”
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A person suspected of calling in the fake report has since been detained in Tennessee, the pair said. Milford police identified the suspect as a 16-year-old boy and said he’s also believed to be connected to other incidents.
Milford police did not name the teen, though Chief of Police Robert Tusino vowed to prosecute the suspect “to the fullest extent of the law.”
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“I want our students, faculty and community to know that we keep you safe by treating every incident like a genuine threat,” Tusino said. “Because of the required vigilance, swatting incidents create unnecessary panic and place an enormous strain on resources.”
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Consigli and Otlin thanked local police and praised students and staff “for following directions quickly and calmly.”
“The school remained safe throughout the police response, and the school returned to normal operations once police cleared the building,” the pair said, adding, “We understand that situations like this can cause stress for students and families. We have support staff available for any student who needs to speak with an adult today.”
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