Greenwich HS Student Charged in Incident That Prompted Lockdown [UPDATED] [VIDEOs]

Updated, Fri. 5:30 a.m.:

As Greenwich High School students return to class Friday, they can expect to see an increased police presence at the Hillside Road campus in the wake of the report of a student with a gun that prompted a lockdown of the school Thursday morning.

Police Chief James Heavey said there was an increased presence of police at the school following the incident that was reported at 10:34 a.m. April 11. And he acknowledged that presence would continue on Friday. Typically, there is one school resource officer from Greenwich Police assigned to the school. 

He and town and school officials were quick to credit the actions of School Resource Officer Carlos Franco in identifying and locating both the student who called 911 to report they thought a fellow student brought a gun to the school. The report prompted a lockdown of the 17-acre campus and a full police response that included the Special Response Unit, officers from the uniform, detective and traffic sections, as well as the Connecticut State Police, Heavey said. (Please see video.)

School Superintendent William McKersie said there wasn't a need to order a lockdown of the district's 14 other schools. "We knew immediately thanks to the great team work of the administration, of Officer Carlos Franco, Chief Heavey's team, we knew immediately this was an isolated situation that we kept isolated," McKersie said.

Late Thursday, school officials could not say how many of the more than 2,800 students decided to go home after the lockdown was over. School administrators have not decided whether students will be penalized for going home, rather than attending afternoon classes. They also could not say how many students went home.

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"We take attendance by block. There were two blocks after the lockdown. We are discussing the matter," schools Communications Director Kim Eves said in an email. 

Following the incident, in which high school student Gianfranco Romero, 19, of 168 N. Water St., Greenwich, was issued a summons for the charge of breach of peace, for intimating he had a gun in his backpack, school officials said there were medical personnel at the school to offer counseling to students.

It was unclear Thursday night how many, if any students, availed themselves of those services, which will continue to be offered on Friday. Some students interviewed as they left the campus Thursday afternoon said the incident brought back memories of last December's Sandy Hook School massacre in Newtown.

All after school activities and athletics went on as scheduled Thursday, according to Eves.

Updated, 6:46 p.m.:

Greenwich School Superintendent William McKersie has released the letter he sent to Greenwich High School parents, explaining what lead to the lockdown of the school on April 11, 2013.

Updated, 6:30 p.m.:

A Greenwich teen has been charged with breach of peace in connection with a purported weapons incident that prompted the lockdown of Greenwich high School Thursday morning.

Updated, 4:55 p.m.:

At a Thursday afternoon press conference at Greenwich Police headquarters, First Selectman and Police Commissioner Peter Tesei explains what happened with the lockdown at Greenwich High School Thursday morning.

According to a statement released Thursday evening by Greenwich Police, "Interviews with the witnesses revealed that the suspect, a student of GHS, made a comment to two other students where he intimated that he possessed a firearm in his book bag. That he planned to use the firearm to shoot people in another state. These students became alarmed that the suspect had a gun in school. The alarmed students then consulted with two more GHS students who then initiated the call to the dispatch center." 

"Detectives continued the investigation off campus, searching his residence with the consent of his mother. The search resulted in no weapons found. 

The student was identified as Gianfranco Romero, 19, of 168 N. Water St., Greenwich, was issued a summons for the charge of breach of peace. He was scheduled to appear April 19 in Superior Court in Stamford.

The police statement also said:

"At approximately 10:43 hours April 11, 2013 the Greenwich Police Department (GPD)E911 dispatch center received a call from a Greenwich High School(GHS)student who was reporting that there was a male student armed with a gun walking into the building. 

"The GHS administration was notified of the report and they initiated their Lockdown protocols as the Greenwich Police, including the GPD School Resource Officer (SRO), responded. The suspect was quickly located and detained at gunpoint by the SRO and responding officers. The suspect was highly cooperative and it was determined that the suspect was NOT in possession of a weapon. No one was injured during the incident."

Updated, 1:35 p.m.:

Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei said police received a 911 call at 10:34 a.m. Thursday from a Greenwich High School student who reported "they believed another student had a gun."

The Greenwich Police Department's Special Response Unit, which already was conducting training exercises on Thursday, responded to the Hillside Road school as well officers from the Patrol, Detective and Traffic sections, and department brass, according to Police Chief James Heavey.

Officials said they would not characterize the incident as a hoax because "the student truly believed" someone had a gun.

As of 12:30 p.m., one student was being detained and two others were being questioned, officials said.

No weapons were found and no one was injured.

Updated, 12:40 p.m.

The following statement was released by Superintendent of Schools Dr. William S. McKersie:

"Greenwich High School (GHS) went into lockdown late this morning. There was a perceived threat, which required the lockdown. The Greenwich Police (GPD) were on site immediately and dealt with the situation quickly. The lockdown has now been lifted. Everyone is safe; there are no injuries. We are returning the building to normal as fast as possible.

The GHS administration, the Greenwich Police including the GHS School resource Officer (SRO), and the GHS students all handled this situation smoothly and professionally."

Dr. Mckersie is scheduled to appear at the press conference at police headquarters shortly.
 

Updated, 12:36 p.m.

No weapons were found at the school during the lockdown, according to police.

Updated: 12:04 p.m.:

Greenwich Police spokesman Lt. Kraig Gray said of the lockdown at Greenwich High School, "This morning the Police Department received a report of an incident which required the proactive response of the Greenwich Police Department and administration and a lockdown was called.

"The lockdown has been lifted. Nobody was hurt and the investigation continues," Gray said.

The Board of Selectmen adjourned their meeting so that they could visit the school and be briefed by police.

Updated: 11:55 a.m.:

First Selectman Peter Tesei said, "There was a report of a student brought a weapon to the school" but that was found not to be true.  There was a second student reported to have had a weapon.

Tesei said that no weapons were found. Officials believe the reports were hoaxes. There also are unconfirmed reports that two students were arrested in connection with the incident.

Original story:

Greenwich High School was placed in lockdown Thursday morning following reports that a student had brought a weapon to the Hillside Road campus.

First Selectman Peter Tesei, who also is the town's police commissioner, said that no one was injured, no weapons were found and that the school is being reopened.

Patch will have updates as more information becomes available.