For Immediate Release

Monday, May 1, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Burlington Schools Briefly Placed in Lockout Mode Following Threats

BURLINGTON — Chief Michael Kent reports that Burlington schools were briefly placed in lockout mode following a report that a woman who made threats to harm people was in town from out of state.

At approximately 1:20 p.m., Burlington Police received a report from the Merrimack New Hampshire Police Department that a woman had made threats over social media to harm people with a firearm.

The Merrimack Police Department informed Burlington Police that a trace of the woman’s cell phone indicated that she was in Burlington.

Out of an abundance of caution, the schools were placed in lockout mode, meaning no one could go in or out of the buildings.

Parents were alerted to the matter through ConnectED, however, classes continued as normal and there was no disruption to class.

Lockout mode was lifted at 1:55 p.m., after Burlington Police were notified by Merrimack Police that a second ping of the cell phone indicated that the woman was never in Burlington and was actually in a North Shore community.

Subsequent traces of the woman’s cell phone indicated that she was in Manchester-by-the-Sea, and then the Peabody area.

Chief Kent states that there is no danger to the Burlington community.

Additional media inquiries should be directed to the Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department, which is coordinating the search.

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