Westport schools disrupted after bomb threat triggers lockdown at Bedford Middle School
Police say the threat now appears to have been a swatting incident, one of several similar hoax calls reported at schools across Connecticut Monday morning.
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Bedford Middle School was placed in lockdown Monday morning after a caller claimed explosive devices had been planted inside the building and that armed individuals were on campus. The threat, made at about 10:32 a.m. to the school’s main office, prompted a large emergency response from Westport police and multiple neighboring agencies.
Police say the threat now appears to have been a swatting incident, one of several similar hoax calls reported at schools across Connecticut Monday morning.
According to officials, Bedford Middle School was immediately secured while officers, assisted by canine units from Fairfield, Norwalk and the Connecticut State Police, conducted systematic sweeps of the building. The Stamford Police Department bomb squad also responded to assist with the search.
After a multi-agency investigation, no explosive devices or threats were found, and the lockdown was lifted at about noon.
Because Bedford shares a campus with Staples High School, Staples was placed in a shelter-in-place for about an hour as a precaution. Classes continued normally, but no one was allowed to enter or leave the building. Officials emphasized that no incident occurred at Staples.
Parents were asked not to come to campus during the response so first responders could work without interference.
All other Westport schools remained open with regular police presence and normal operations.
