Suspicious Person Prompted Lockdown At Summit Schools Wednesday: Cops

SUMMIT, NJ — Several Summit Public Schools were under a shelter-in-place order Wednesday after police spotted a suspicious person "with what appeared to be a long gun over his shoulder" walking near a school building, police said.

Later Wednesday afternoon, police said they determined that the man "is no longer a person of interest, and that the items being carried were not firearms."

Officers said they saw the man, who was described as wearing camouflage and carrying a black backpack, near Summit Avenue and Walnut Street and walking towards Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School around 1 p.m. Wednesday.

As a precaution, both LCJ Summit Middle School and Brayton School were under a shelter-in-place while officers investigated. Summit Police also notified neighboring schools, the Summit Free Public Library, and local houses of worship. Schools were dismissed as normal.

Police had shared surveillance footage and pictures of the man earlier Wednesday and asked the public to call 911 if they saw him, but clarified he was no longer suspected of any suspicious activity.