“Inactive rifle round” found in NHS, school entered hold-in-place procedure
Northport High School entered into a “hold-in-place” procedure when a piece of an inactive rifle round was found on the floor inside the school today.
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Updated 6:12pm
Today, at 1:55pm, Northport High School entered into a “hold-in-place” procedure when a piece of an inactive rifle round was found on the floor inside the school. “The round is not capable of being fired, and no weapons were discovered,” Principal Robert Dennis wrote in an email to parents. “Upon discovering this item, we immediately reported it to the Suffolk County Police Department who initiated an investigation in collaboration with our school administration.”
As part of the hold-in-place, students were immediately moved from the Commons area to the cafeteria, Dennis explained in the email, and the building was further inspected. Students in their classrooms stayed in place and any student who left the building for lunch was not able to re-enter.
“All students and staff are safe, and there is no evidence of a firearm on campus, nor have any threats been received,” Dennis wrote.
According to the district’s Emergency Information Guide, a hold-in-place is issued during a non-threatening event, such as a medical emergency or maintenance issue. Hallways are cleared, students are kept in classrooms and instruction continues. Dennis also indicated that visitors were not permitted in the building and parents were asked not to attempt to pick up their children from school early.
In a response to questions about the situation, district officials told the Journal “all students and staff are safe and no weapons have been found.” Students began the dismissal process slightly earlier than the usual dismissal time.
Superintendent Robert Banzer reiterated in an email sent to district parents shortly before 6pm that, after a search of the school’s common areas, each classroom and lockers by the Suffolk County Police Department, who worked alongside district security, no evidence of a physical weapon on campus was found, nor were any threats witnessed or received.
He urged parents and their children with any information regarding the source of the inactive rifle round to contact school administration immediately. No other schools were impacted, Banzer said, and “while we will have an increased police presence at the high school tomorrow as a precaution, the day will move forward as usual.”
