NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Students and staff at Vance Elementary School in New Britain were forced to shelter in place for some time Monday morning, after the school received a phone call claiming an armed person was in the building. New Britain police were called immediately and the school was placed into lockdown.
A thorough search of the building and grounds found no intruder, no weapon, and no threat, according to school leaders.
"Events like today’s cause deep concerns for our entire school community," said New Britain Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper in a statement. "The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and I want to express my gratitude to our security team and the New Britain Police Department for their swift and professional response. They continue to take these situations with the utmost seriousness."
Gasper commended police, staff, students, and parents for their response to the situation and said that systems put in place by the district worked how they were designed to keep kids safe.
His statement continued: "we must acknowledge the toll that these repeated incidents are having on our students, staff, and families. The disruption of learning, coupled with the heightened anxiety caused by these incidents and lockdowns, is unacceptable. Our children deserve to feel safe and secure at school, and these incidents simply must stop.
"This is not just a challenge here in New Britain but across the United States. Our children's education and well-being are being disrupted by circumstances that should never become routine. It is imperative that we work as a community, state, and nation to address the root causes and put an end to these threats to our schools."
Vance Elementary School did not have an official early dismissal. Gasper said that they did not want to send young children home when their parents may not be there. More than 200 students were picked up voluntarily by parents and guardians. Gasper said the district was able to facilitate those dismissals within an hour.
New Britian schools will have increased police presence on Tuesday and Gasper says he does not anticipate any changes to the district's normal schedule. Vance Elementary School will also have additional mental health supports on Tuesday.
Connecticut schools have seen a slew of threats, lockdowns, closures, and increased police presence since the start of the school year. In Meriden, Waterbury, and Ansonia, threats of violence toward the school population resulted in arrests of at least four teens.
None of the threats investigated by police so far this year have been deemed credible.
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Tricia Ennis is the Director of Digital Content at FOX61 News. They can be reached at tennis@fox61.com.
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