Posted on 12/24/2014 3:00:33 AM PST by mkleesma
LONDONDERRY — An impromptu visit from a former Londonderry High School student who just got home from boot camp led to a misunderstanding — and a district-wide lockdown on Tuesday afternoon.
Superintendent Nathan Greenberg said the former student showed up unannounced at the high school shortly before noon on Tuesday. Police said staff were immediately concerned, as the student, dressed in military fatigues, signed in to visit with a name unfamiliar to staff.
The situation apparently grew heated when he was asked to leave and was ultimately escorted off the premises.
Greenberg said the young man's sibling attends South Elementary School, giving district officials good reason to believe that's where he might be headed next.
Londonderry Police Det. Chris Olson said that a South School employee later reported hearing "three bangs, as if someone was trying to enter the school."
Police later learned that report was unfounded.
"South School was searched, as were the areas around the school and no one matching the original description was found," he added. "There were no signs of forced entry."
Police declined to identify the young man, who they said was cooperative and wasn't facing any criminal charges.
The former LHS student was later found at a Beech Hill Drive home, after police matched the name given at Londonderry High School with the home's occupants.
He was taken into custody for questioning and later released.
"It was determined that there were no crimes committed and that the subject actually never went to South School," Olson said. "He had gone to the high school to visit, having just gotten home from boot camp."
South School Principal Linda Boyd said officials at the high school called her at noontime on Tuesday informing her that an adult male had showed up at the high school "without authorized reason."
Boyd said the elementary school was immediately placed into modified lockdown, meaning students and teachers were ordered to say in place in their respective classrooms until further notice.
Greenberg, along with School Resource Officer Brad Warriner, assisted at the school, as police temporarily closed off a section of Kendall Pond Road.
Similar precautions were taken at the district's other schools.
"We take the safety of our students very, very seriously and this was done mainly as a precaution," Greenberg said. "Fortunately, we have an outstanding police force that (initiated) our ‘stay in place' protocol successfully."
The lockdown was lifted by about 1:30 p.m., just in time for most classrooms to enjoy some planned pre-holiday festivities.
"Everything seems to be resolved now," Greenberg said shortly after 3:30 p.m.
Boyd said the police kept their eye on things at all of the schools for the remainder of the day.
She said she was proud of the way students, staff and police handled the incident.
"Our students showed that they understood the seriousness of the situation and adjusted gracefully to schedule and activity changes without complaining," she added.
"This was especially hard with the pending holiday celebrations this afternoon."
Correct....if Islam was that great there would great throngs of people going to Saudi Arabia to live...since there isn’t ....one can deduct that Islam is a lie wrapped in a religious cloak for deflection of critism...
Merry Christmas....to you and your family....and have a safe New Years...In pray 2015 will see the US I grew up with come back...
WTF???
He went to the office and signed in as a guest.
This is just the quality of “pebeek skool teechrz.”
(its all gwbush’s fault /sarcasm)
Thank you. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
Since that incident was in my high school time frame, I’m thinking both of us could agree that was a different universe when people of common sense were more prevalent than today. As a former school band clarinetist, I would have been simply agog with the opportunity to hear Benny Goodman in person. My parents were definitely of the Big Band/WW2 era so those tunes were played regularly at our house.
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