'Active shooter' reports at Maine schools were result of hoax, officials confirm - WMUR Manchester

SANFORD, Maine —

Multiple threats of progressive shooters astatine schools crossed Maine were made Tuesday morning, but investigators successful that authorities said they were the effect of a hoax.

The reports triggered important instrumentality enforcement responses and lockdowns, including astatine schools successful Sanford, Gardiner and Portland, among others.

“The Department of Public Safety is alert of aggregate progressive shooter threats that person been made astatine schools passim the state,” the Maine Department of Public Safety said successful a statement. “At this time, these reports are believed to beryllium a hoax.”

Sanford constabulary Lt. Matthew Gagne said during a quality league Tuesday that constabulary and occurrence officials received the archetypal telephone astatine 8:20 a.m.

Police said the caller identified themselves arsenic a teacher and said determination was an "active shooter" successful the school, and determination were injuries. The caller past described the shooter arsenic a achromatic antheral dressed successful a achromatic overgarment and achromatic pants and holding a agelong rifle.

In a quality release, Sanford officials said the telephone came from an "untraceable VOIP telephone number." Similar reports were made to schools successful Portland and Gardiner, officials said.

Gagne said determination were 2 schoolhouse assets officers successful the gathering erstwhile the telephone was made, and they, on with officers who responded instantly to the scene, searched for the shooter oregon anyone who was hurt.

Officers said nary injuries were reported, and "none are anticipated."

As of 10 a.m., tertiary searches were being conducted, Gagne said, and determination was inactive a important constabulary and firefighter unit effect astatine the school.

"The Sanford Police are moving to wide the gathering and autobus students to the Memorial Gym (678 Main St. Sanford) for genitor prime up. Sanford Police Chief Anderson is moving mobile bid connected Site and the York County Sheriff’s Dept. covers the City portion Sanford PD clears the building," officials wrote successful a quality release.

The York County Emergency Management confirmed the incidental astatine Sanford High School was a hoax.

Steve Benotti, Sanford occurrence chief, said officials rapidly mobilized a twelve ambulances and 3 aesculapian formation units, but nary patients were found.

Benotti said progressive shooter grooming conducted by constabulary and occurrence crews "paid off."

"Nobody ever wants to spell done this benignant of situation, and we tin convey each our fortunate stars that thing unspeakable came retired of it arsenic of today," Benotti said. "It's conscionable the satellite that we unrecorded successful that we person to beryllium acceptable to respond to specified things."

Investigators said Maine State Police assisted section instrumentality enforcement agencies with the archetypal investigations.

Officials besides said the Maine Information Analysis Center is “heavily involved” successful coordinating the investigations.

'Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.'

When connection got retired astir the calls, students texted their parents, galore of whom showed up astatine the schoolhouse buildings.

"We were huddled successful the schoolroom together," said Logan Tousouley, a pupil astatine Sanford Regional Technical Center. "We didn't cognize what was going on."

He said that aft the schoolhouse went into lockdown, students didn't cognize if it was a drill, but they heard determination was an progressive shooter successful the school.

"I texted my ma close away," Tousouley said. "I was telling her I loved her and everything and trying to fto her cognize what was going on."

His mother, Nicole Pagan, described her acquisition successful 1 word.

"Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying," she said. "It's a helpless feeling, due to the fact that what are you expected to do? I can't physically get to him."

Pagan said she waited for her lad extracurricular Memorial Gym for an hour. The gym is minutes distant from Sanford High School and was the designated determination for parents to reunite with their children.

Parents said that adjacent aft learning it was each a hoax, they were near shaken.

"You travel down present and it just, your tegument crawls, it goes up your spine and you think, 'What if this is real?'" said genitor Samantha Rocray. "It's heartbreaking."

Pagan and Rocray said they were updated by the schoolhouse astir their children being evacuated and told to spell to Memorial Gym, but to get updates connected what was happening, they looked to their children.

"It's not precise organized, but I don't deliberation this is thing we expect regularly, truthful however overmuch much organized tin it be?" Pagan said.

School superintendent Matt Nelson said officials tried to get accusation retired arsenic soon arsenic possible, but they needed to marque definite they were sending retired accusation that was accurate.

"It's precise challenging, particularly erstwhile the accusation is retired determination erstwhile you're not definite if it's credible oregon not," Nelson said.

School volition beryllium closed the adjacent 2 days, but Nelson said counselors volition beryllium connected manus Wednesday for immoderate students oregon unit members who request them.