Great Barrington — According to an alert sent out to the community by Berkshire Hills Regional School District Superintendent Peter Dillon, all three schools in the district were in lockdown in response to a phone threat on Tuesday, February 14.
Dillon wrote that local and State Police were on campus and the schools are following safety protocols.
“This is apparently happening throughout the state today,” Dillon wrote. “It has been determined that the threat is not credible. Out of an abundance of caution we are holding all students in classes. I will send another message with an update soon. At this time, parents may choose to pick up their students.”
At around 12 p.m. Muddy Brook Regional Elementary School lifted their lockdown.
The Berkshire Edge has reached out to Superintendent Dillon and Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti for further information.
Update Feb. 14 on 1:36 p.m. via Great Barrington Police Department’s Facebook page:
“Great Barrington police are on scene at Monument Mountain High School in regards to a threat. The threat is not considered credible. The school was placed into lockdown. Great Barrington Police along with mutual aid departments conducted a sweep of the school. All students are safe and accounted for. Parents wishing to pick up their students are welcome to at this time. The elementary and middle schools were placed into lockdown out of an abundance of caution. All lockdowns have been lifted.”
Update Feb. 14, Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti wrote via email:
“We had a threat made against the high school today. The threat was received through a phone call made to the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Department, who them immediately notified the Great Barrington Police. Officers responded from all of our neighboring communities and the State Police to assist Great Barrington Police Department officers. We followed protocol and secured the schools and ensured all students and staff were safe. Once all the safety steps were completed, we resumed normal activities.”
School Superintendent Peter Dillon wrote via email:
“Around 11:20 a.m. the Great Barrington Police received a threat via phone call directed at the high school. They responded to the schools along with state and other local police. The schools were in lockdown. Police searched the high school and declared the building safe. The lockdown was over. Parents and families were contacted and given the opportunity to pick up students if they wanted. School continued for most students.”
Meanwhile, MassLive is reporting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into multiple hoax threats against schools in the state. Due to these hoax threats, schools throughout the state were in various lockdowns both on Monday, Feb. 13, and Tueday, Feb. 14.
