A mistaken identity prompted a lockdown at Miller-Driscoll school Tuesday morning, June 2, complete with police response from not just Wilton police officers but also law enforcement aid from other towns. The Wilton school district notified parents by robo call and email about the lockdown shortly after it was called, but in the span of about 15 minutes, officials reached out again with notification that the lockdown had been called off and that there had been no danger at any time.
According to initial accounts, around 11 a.m. Tuesday, a school employee reported seeing “a stranger” running in the hallway of the building, prompting the lockdown. A call to 9-1-1 initiated response from Wilton Police with assistance from Weston and Norwalk officers. However, a police search of the building revealed that the ‘stranger’ was actually a school district staff member.
UPDATE: 10:45 a.m.–Acting on a question from a reader, GMW.com reached out to the Wilton Police Department to ask about response time by law enforcement. According to public information officer Lt. Stephen Brennan, the nearest patrol officer was in a patrol car at the commuter lot on the corner of Rt. 7 and Wolfpit Rd.. Once the call went out from dispatch, he arrived on scene in one minute. Brennan added that the case is still an open investigation and the report is still being written.
The initial communication from school officials stated, “There was a report of a stranger in the building and we are presently conducting a search. We ask parents not to come to the building or call the school at this time, to allow the Police Department to complete their search. We will send updates as soon as we receive them.” The notification also directed parents to call the district’s Central Office with questions or concerns.
A handful of parents gathered on the lawn of the Hope Church across from the school on Wolfpit Rd..
School officials also placed the district’s other three schools (Cider Mill, Middlebrook and Wilton High School) on ‘soft lockdown,’ with perimeters locked, and no one permitted to enter or exit the buildings. Students and faculty were not locked in classrooms nor were typical, silent lockdown procedures started. Some parents at those three schools reported receiving communication from building administrators notifying them of the soft lockdown statuses as well.
By 11:40 a.m., the district announced that the lockdown had been called off with an explanation of the mistaken identity.
Social media lit up news of the lockdown. Parent response was mixed, with some lauding the school district’s communication to parents, and others who wished the school provided more specific communication about what students were told during the lockdown period. A few said they did not receive any emails or calls at all. Several others thanked teachers for the heavy responsibility of keeping the students safe and calm during what must have been a frightening 40 minutes inside the school.
The superintendent of Wilton Public Schools, Dr. Kevin Smith, sent a letter to parents later in the day detailing events and thanking town and school employees for their response, and explaining that security procedures were followed.
“Distressing as this situation was, we learned that the safety and security procedures our district has in place worked very well. I would like to thank the Wilton Police Department and their fellow officers from Norwalk and Weston for their dedication and professionalism to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” the letter stated.