On Thursday afternoon, a Bethel school lockdown incident occurred. Students reported seeing a man with a gun on the school grounds. Ebon C. Hill Intermediate School in Bethel initiated the lockdown around 1 p.m. as students claimed they saw the armed man.
Students at recess told the staff they saw the individual showing a gun while standing on a nearby baseball field. Concerned for student safety, school administrators immediately contacted Bethel police, who arrived to investigate the situation.
Law enforcement reviewed the school’s surveillance footage to identify the alleged suspect. Officers located a man matching the student’s description and took him into custody for questioning.
Police later confirmed that no shots had been fired and no student or the staff sustained any injuries during the event. Bethel police Chief Chad Essert later revealed that the individual questioned in the incident had been released without charges.
According to Essert, investigators concluded that the person did not display a gun as the students reported. Police assured the community that the situation did not present an active threat, easing concerns raised during the brief Bethel school lockdown incident.
The lockdown was lifted shortly after authorities deemed the area safe, and the school resumed its normal activities. The Bethel school lockdown incident highlights the importance of clear communication between schools and law enforcement when responding to potential threats.
This news article was originally published by WLWT5.
