3 Unauthorized Men Try To Enter MA Schools: Officials

LOWELL, MA — Police and school district officials have issued a warning after three unauthorized men tried to enter two separate Lowell public schools Monday, school officials told Patch in an email Thursday.

The incidents occurred on the Moody Elementary School and Shaughnessy Elementary School campuses, where the men tried to enter the buildings under false pretenses, and were denied entry by staff, officials said.

"We take these incidents very seriously and immediately reported them to the Lowell Police Department, which is actively investigating these matters while increasing patrols of the schools," Lowell Public Schools said in a letter to families Monday. "It is our understanding that law enforcement has recently been involved in similar incidents in other districts throughout the Commonwealth. As a result of these previous incidents in other districts, school leaders had been briefed in advance of today’s incidents to be extra diligent with door safety protocols."

Officials added that all school buildings are locked and visitors must be buzzed in by staff through a doorbell equipped with video surveillance.

"This is a good reminder for everyone to maintain the security of our buildings by ensuring that doors close behind you when you go in or out of the building, never prop a door open, and, of course, if you 'see something, say something,'" officials said.

Earlier this month, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents executive director Thomas Scott sent a letter to superintendents across the state saying the organization was notified by the FBI's Boston Division about several similar incidents, one of which involved a man entering a school building and taking pictures, WCVB reported.

WFXT reported that similar incidents occurred within the past six weeks in Dedham, Needham and Woburn.

When asked about these incidents, FBI representative Kristen Setera told Patch that its "standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products" but noted that the FBI "routinely shares information to assist law enforcement in protecting the communities they serve."

"We urge the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to law enforcement," Setera added.