Suspicious odor leads to safety scare at Massapequa High School
A suspicious spray bottle with a "distinguishable odor" prompted a police response and raised safety concerns among students at Massapequa High School.
Massapequa High School administrators say a student brought a spray bottle with a "distinguishable odor" into the building.
Administrators say the bottle was secured without incident, and classes continued as normal throughout the day.
The district has not released details about what was inside the bottle.
One sophomore, Jacob Vermilyea, said he noticed something unusual during first period.
“I was in first period and this student came in smelling like gasoline," Vermilyea said.
While the school emphasized there was no ongoing threat, some students questioned whether stronger safety measures should have been taken.
“I feel as though the school should’ve evacuated,” Vermilyea said.
News 12 obtained the following statements sent to parents:
Dear Massapequa High School Community,
This morning, school administration became aware of a situation at the high school involving a small spray bottle containing a distinguishable odor. The situation was immediately addressed by school administrators and security personnel, and the item was secured without incident. We want to reassure you that there is no ongoing concern at this time. The Nassau County Police Department has been notified and will continue to conduct a follow-up investigation.
School operations have continued as normal, and there is no need for any changes to today’s schedule or activities.
We thank our school security team and the Nassau County Police Department for their prompt response, professionalism, and partnership in helping to ensure the continued safety of our school community.
As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we handled this matter with care and discretion.
Thank you for your continued support.
MHS Administration
Dear Massapequa High School Community,
As a follow-up to our earlier communication regarding today’s incident at Massapequa High School, we want to reiterate that the matter was addressed by school administration and in coordination with the Nassau County Police Department.
We understand that situations like this can understandably create concern within our community, and we ask everyone to refrain from sharing rumors or unverified information, as doing so can contribute to unnecessary fear and misinformation. The Nassau County Police Department did a thorough investigation and we take these matters very seriously.
We appreciate the professionalism of our staff, security team, and the Nassau County Police Department in responding quickly and appropriately. As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the building or district administration.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
William Brennan, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
