Police rapidly clear threat of gunman on Vets High roof

By John Howell
Posted 2/11/16

Last week, Warwick Veterans High School students were forced to evacuate the building because of a bomb threat, and this Tuesday they went into a lockdown from another threat.

The telephone threat …

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Police rapidly clear threat of gunman on Vets High roof

Posted

Last week, Warwick Veterans High School students were forced to evacuate the building because of a bomb threat, and this Tuesday they went into a lockdown from another threat.

The telephone threat that there was a gunman on the school roof was received about 12:30 p.m.

Chief of Police Col. Stephen McCartney said yesterday that his department advised the school to go into a lockdown, whereby all classroom doors are locked. In the case of the cafeteria, Principal Gerald Habershaw said, the fire doors were closed and students kept in the room.

McCartney said both last week’s call, which said bombs had been placed in the boiler room, and that people wearing suicide vests were present, and this week’s threat were computer-generated “robo” calls. Last week’s call was made to the department and was similar to threats received in Newport involving Rogers High School. McCartney said Rhode Island State Police have traced those calls to “international lines” that exceed the department’s jurisdiction.

According to officers at the school Tuesday, using an access to the roof from the second floor, five officers conducted a search of the roof. They rapidly determined from the lack of footprints following Monday’s snowstorm that no one was on the roof. An additional contingent of about 20 officers responded to ensure exterior security.

McCartney said he was in contact with Superintendent Philip Thornton and that they agreed on the wording of a notice to be sent to parents. The chief said the incident was cleared in about 20 minutes and the lockdown lifted.

Had a threat been verified, Habershaw said students and faculty would have been advised to proceed to a second phase that includes taking cover under desks and against walls and avoiding windows. He said the school does at least two practice lockdowns annually in addition to a minimum of 15 fire drills.

In the case of the bomb treat, students were evacuated to the football field bleachers and then relocated to Thayer Arena, where they were picked up by buses and parents.

The fallout from such threats, however, is greater than missing class time.

“Kids text,” Habershaw said, “and that starts the panic.”

The Vets lines were buzzing Tuesday as parents sought to find out what was happening, even challenging assurances that it was nothing more than a hoax.

“We’ve been down this road too many times,” Habershaw said.

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