Student In Mask Sends Exeter High School Into Safe Campus Mode

EXETER, NH — Exeter High School was briefly placed in a "safe campus mode" after a suspicious person was seen near the stadium Thursday. The person, later identified as a charter school student, was seen wearing a fake gas mask – that was a school art project.

The student was spotted by two school bus drivers at 9:30 a.m. and threat response procedures were activated. A school resource officer was sent to the area to investigation the issue.

The SRO found the charter school student who rode an SAU 16 bus but hadn't taken the shuttle to the charter school. The student was found, apprehended, and questioned.

According to officials, there was no threat or danger to the school community but the distraction caused issues on the campus.

"We do not have a firm grasp on the student’s intent to behave this way," Superintendent David Ryan said Friday, "but we can state that the result of his antics led to the high school activating a secure campus for approximately 20 minutes until he was apprehended and identified."

Ryan said SAU 16 had offered its behavior intervention team services to the school to assist with the student's behavior.

Ryan commended administrators at Exeter High School, including Principal Michael Monahan, Security Coordinator Richard Kane, and Exeter Police Department School Resource Officer Sonya Robichaud for following the SAU's established protocols and policies in the event of a dangerous situation.

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