A hoax 911 call and multiple online threats led to lockdowns, early dismissals and police responses to several schools in New Haven on Monday, according to New Haven Police.
A high school student is facing charges for the 911 call and a minor from out of state has been identified as having posted several of the threats posted to social media, police said. Investigators are looking into if the situations are connected to threats in Hamden. At this time, investigators do not believe any of the threats are credible.
Police said the situation began when police received a 911 call reporting that there was a person with a gun possibly trying to access Wilbur Cross High School. The school was locked down while police responded.
Students at Wilbur Cross were dismissed early as police searched the school for weapons or other threats.
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Police said they identified the person who made the call, who is a 17-year-old student at the school, and that she confessed to making it up. The teen suspect is facing charges including breach of peace. She was not named due to her age.
Emergency crews also responded to other schools in New Haven as officials learned of threats to New Haven schools made online. Some were posted on social media and one involved an email, officials said. Investigators believe the initial call set off the chain of events.
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Those online threats made mention of Hillhouse High School, Career High School, Co-op High School, Riverside Academy, Conte Middle School, Edgewood School, and Amistad. Officers responded to all of these schools to investigate.
Students at Hillhouse High School and Amistad were also dismissed early Monday.
There will be an increased police presence at New Haven schools on Tuesday as a precaution.
Police say they've identified a suspect who lives out of state as having posted some of the threats. They are working with local law enforcement to charge that person. The rest of the threats remain under investigation.
“There appears to be some copycatting going on but we don’t know if they’re connected," Mayor Justin Elicker said at a press conference Monday.
There have been a series of threats at Connecticut schools in recent days. Hamden High School is closed Monday and Tuesday while officials investigate another threat that was received over the weekend, and a social media threat prompted a lockdown at Eli Whitney Tech in Hamden.
