NORWICH, Conn. — Two Norwich Free Academy students were questioned by police in a school lockdown investigation Monday and could potentially face charges related to the incident, school officials said.
The school confirmed that the pair will also be subject to the school disciplinary process.
In a letter to the school community, NFA Head of School Brian M. Kelly said the school is working to improve all aspects of its process relating to school lockdowns.
The message comes after Kelly acknowledged many were not satisfied with the timing and depth of the administration's communication on Monday.
Monday's lockdown was prompted by a campus safety officer noticing unusual behavior by a student. A “stay put” order was enacted for the school and after additional information was gathered, a lockdown order was put into place, Kelly said.
Norwich police responded to the school and recovered two blank pistols that are incapable of discharging live rounds but produce a loud sound, according to the letter.
"Even though the events that happened yesterday were resolved without incident, I understand the anxiety and discomfort felt by the members of our school community," Kelly said. "This is not a situation we are taking lightly. Our campus safety team did its job well, and the support of the Norwich Police Department was instrumental in the resolution of the situation."
Kelly also noted that the lockdown was prolonged due to an unrelated incident. A concerning conversation was overheard by a student on a school bus.
While it was later determined to be harmless and not connected, school officials said it was important to assure that it was not related to the other incident.
NFA's head of school said the school will be scheduling a community forum related to school safety soon.
"My commitment to you is that we will continue to improve all aspects of this process, from lockdown procedures to overall communication," Kelly added. "Our number one priority is the safety of our students, teachers and staff."
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