19 Bullets Found At Pat-Med HS; Possible 'Person Of Interest' ID'd

MEDFORD, NY — A possible person of interest has been restricted from access to the Patchogue-Medford School District's buildings — where 19 bullets were found in a vestibule on Friday — after they were identified in video footage, Schools Superintendent Donna Jones said in a statement.

During the district's investigation, video footage from the school was reviewed and "may have identified a person of interest," Jones said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. She added that "the footage and all other evidence" were shared with Suffolk police.

"We have been in constant communication with the police department and have restricted the person of interest’s access to all district property while the matter is further investigated," she said.

School district officials are not at liberty to share additional information about the person of interest, according to Jones' office.

The district said it is cooperating with police and officials have not been informed of an "imminent threat," according to Jones.

"In the event there is a credible threat the district will follow its district and building-level safety plans," she said. "As this is a law enforcement matter, we will continue to provide timely updates as they become available to us. In the interim, there continues to be a police presence at the high school, and we have taken all possible measures to continue to ensure everyone’s safety."

Jones said the matter was immediately reported to the police.

In a message to parents over the weekend, Jones said 19 bullets were found inside a foil packet by one of the vestibule entrances of the school during the Friday morning arrival, according to the message, which was posted in a community group.

“Every measure has been taken to safeguard the campus while the investigation continues,” she wrote. “At this time there is no additional information to report. We will update you when we have additional information to report.”

Suffolk police said officers responded to the Buffalo Avenue high school after a school staffer found the bullets around 8:30 a.m.

Police are investigating. There doesn't appear to be any credible threat, a spokeswoman told Patch in an email.

Jones’ notification angered some parents, who questioned why a notification wasn't sent earlier.

“This is not acceptable,” she wrote. “Nor can it be tolerated.”

“This is crazy. No one knew. So what measures have been taken?” wrote another parent.

It is the second time in recent weeks that the police have been called to a school in the school district.

On Nov. 30, police were called to Oregon Middle School in Medford after a threat was reported there on Wednesday afternoon.

Police said officers from the 5th Precinct's Crime Section are investigating "a threat that was written on a bathroom wall" at the school, but no other details were released.