2 Westport Schools Placed On 'Temporary Holds': Superintendent

WESTPORT, CT — Staples High School and Bedford Middle School were placed on "temporary holds" Thursday morning due to a disturbance on Long Lots Road, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice announced.

The 8 a.m. disturbance was "a man acting erratically and yelling at vehicles in the area," which was handled by authorities. No injuries were reported, and both schools have since reopened, according to Scarice.

Subscribe

"In response, police officers, including multiple members of the department's School Security Unit, acted quickly to assess the situation and identify the individual," Scarice wrote in a message to the school community. "Through their coordinated efforts and ongoing communication with school administrators, the situation was addressed, and both schools were able to return to normal operations."

Scarice added, "We understand that any situation requiring the activation of our school security protocols can be concerning for students, staff, and families. Please know that these protocols are in place to help protect our school communities, and decisions to implement them are made with careful consideration of the information available at the time."

According to Westport Police Lt. Anthony Prezioso, the indivdual was deemed not to be a threat and was not arrested. An initial call to police reported that the person may have been carrying a knife, but no knife was discovered.

"An individual matching the clothing and overall description provided was quickly located by the responding officers on the property of Saint Luke's Church," Prezioso wrote in an email to Patch. "He did admit to shouting at passing cars that he perceived as traveling too quickly. He was not found to be in possession of a knife. After speaking with him, it was determined that there was no further need for police intervention and that he was not a threat to public safety or to himself. There were no charges."

Scarice said that the quick response to the disturbance "demonstrated the importance of our strong partnership with the Westport Police Department and the constant communication between law enforcement and school administrators."

"The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priorities," Scarice said. "We are grateful to the Westport Police Department and our school security personnel for their swift response and continued partnership in keeping our schools safe."