Suspicious Activity Stops Event

By Jim Sabasoto
THE RUTLAND HERALD
A Rutland Middle School event was disrupted by suspicious activity Wednesday evening.

RMS staff and families were gathered on the school’s ballfield when, at around 7:20 p.m., staff members spotted two males on the property between Keefe Gym and the middle school building, according to Superintendent Bill Olsen.

When questioned by staff from afar, the individuals left the property; however, staff reported one of the suspects appeared to be carrying some kind of rifle.

At that point, school administrators present at the event decided to move people inside the building, said Olsen, who arrived on site shortly after the lockdown began.

Administrators called Rutland City Police, who arrived to secure the property and review security camera footage.

Staff and families were permitted to leave the building after about 40 minutes, according to Olsen.

He said the decision to move people inside rather than scattering them in various directions outside made the most sense given the situation.

“Normally, we would be moving kids to certain locations away from the building. But the threat was on the outside of the building — if it was a threat — and I think (administrators) made the right call bringing everybody into a secure space.”

Once inside, he said people were spread throughout the building away from exterior windows.

Olsen praised parents, students and staff for following safety protocols, calling it orderly and organized.

Rutland City Police Chief Brian Kilcullen reported Thursday afternoon that one of the suspects had been identified and contacted by the department. He confirmed an airsoft gun was recovered from the individual.

Airsoft guns are realistic-looking replica toy guns designed to shoot non-metallic projectiles.

Kilcullen said he was uncertain if any charges would result since no one reported the suspect making any threats.

While the chief acknowledged that possessing an airsoft gun on school property was not illegal, he didn’t want to embolden such behavior.

“I certainly don’t want to say anything that would encourage people to carry something like that on school property,” he said.

RMS wasn’t the only area school to experience a lockdown this week.

On Thursday morning, officials at Lothrop Elementary School in Pittsford were notified by local police of a “potential external threat” sending the school into a temporary lockdown.

In an email, Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Jeanne Collins clarified there was never a direct threat to the school and the lockdown was enacted out of an “abundance of caution.”

“Learning continued inside the school but all doors were locked and students were not released for recess,” she wrote.

jim.sabataso @rutlandherald.com