Man Charged With Stalking Had Rifle At High School: Cops

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — A Hampton Bays man arrested and charged with stalking was found with a loaded magazine in his pants pocket and a rifle in his car at Hampton Bays High School, police said.

The incident led to a "modified lockdown" at Hampton Bays High School Wednesday morning, police said.

Southampton Town Police responded to the Hampton Bays High School athletics field on Tuesday at 3 p.m. for a reported possible stalking, police said.

Patrol officers determined that Todd Tuttle, 46, of Hampton Bays, who said he was watching his son’s lacrosse game, did not have a son participating in the game at that time, police said.

A school employee said Tuttle had been repeatedly stalking her over the past several weeks stemming from a domestic conflict involving the two families, police said.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Tuttle had a loaded magazine in his pants pocket and had a rifle, associated with the magazine, in his vehicle, parked in the school parking lot, police said.

Tuttle was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon on school grounds, a felony, third degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor, and fourth degree stalking, a misdemeanor, police said.

Hampton Bays High School was on a modified lockdown Wednesday morning as police conducted an investigation on school grounds, district officials said.

According to Southampton Town Police Sgt. Michael Burns, the modified lockdown helped to keep individuals from walking through the area while the investigation proceeded.

Lars Clemensen, superintendent of the Hampton Bays school district, said both school officials and Southampton Town Police were investigating "the presence of an unauthorized vehicle on the high school campus. There is no threat to safety and well-being of students at this time," Clemensen said.

Hampton Bays High School was operating under the modified lockdown to assist with the police investigation, he said — meaning, while there was no threat to students or staff, no in or out access was granted to either staff or students.

The schedule operated as normal and the lockdown was lifted as soon as the investigation ended, Clemensen said.

The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information regarding his case is asked to contact the Southampton Town Detective Division at (631) 702-2230

Patch courtesy photo.