False Alarm Leads To Lockdown Thursday At Portsmouth High

PORTSMOUTH, RI — Portsmouth High was put on lockdown on Thursday, but there was never any danger, according to Frederick Faerber, member of the school committee. Faerber said "a student was innocently trying to get into the gym but it was initially thought to be a potential unwarranted intrusion." Tom Kenworthy, the assistant superintendent, e-mailed the school committee members to explain the student was caught on video, which set off security procedures. The "lockdown went into effect," he said. The subsequent investigation showed there was no threat and the student had simply made a mistake.

Schools Superintendent Ana C. Riley did not respond to questions about the incident, but Faerber said that was because Riley is on vacation. Mr. Kenworthy e-mailed this message to Patch.

"This afternoon a report came forward to the Portsmouth High School administration of a suspicious, unidentified individual on the PHS campus. Out of an abundance of caution, the PHS administration placed the campus on lockdown. The administration, school SRO, and Portsmouth Police searched the campus and found no evidence of a credible threat. At that time the lockdown was lifted, normal activities resumed for the remainder of the school day, and an increased police presence remained. Later it was determined that the individual in question was, in fact, a PHS student." That's all the information available at this time, he said.

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