High School Football Game In Groton Postponed Due To Threats: Police

GROTON, CT —A high school football game in Groton was postponed due to threats Thursday, according to Town of Groton police.

Police received information from Norwich Free Academy security about concerns at about 1:45 p.m. regarding the upcoming Robert E. Fitch High School vs. Norwich Free Academy football game at 6 p.m.

Later that afternoon, more safety concerns tied to social media posts led officials from both schools and Groton police to postpone the game.

"This precautionary measure was taken out of an abundance of caution in order to allow officials time to institute control measure and safety protocols prior to holding the game," police said in a statement.

"It is important to note that students brought these concerns to the attention of the Fitch High School Resource Officer," police wrote. "It appears those concerns were the result of social media posts by individuals who are not associated with Fitch High School nor this event."

Fitch High School rescheduled the event for 4 p.m. Friday with additional police and security officers on hand.

“We encourage students, parents, and citizens who are made aware of concerning posts and potential threats they view on social media to immediately bring them to attention of public safety and/or school officials," Police Chief L. J. Fusaro said in a statement. "This simple act can help identify bad actors and help deter and prevent disruption of events. We applaud these students for having the courage and concern to connect with their SRO to help prevent potential problems at yesterday’s game.”

Fitch Principal Matthew Brown said the postponement was due to "the serious nature of these concerns."

He added that those attending the game Friday will need to follow specific parameters. Some of those parameters include having a photo ID, only admitting students from the two schools, and having a ticket purchased ahead of time.

Last month, a Norwich Free Academy football game was evacuated due to a social media threat.

See related: Social Media Threat Leads To Evacuation Of Norwich Football Game