Conn. school locked down after suspicious bag found: Officials

Apr 12, 2023

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NEW HAVEN, Conn — A gun scare set off traumatic events for students and families in downtown New Haven Tuesday. A report of a gun inside Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School brought police and gun-sniffing dogs to the school where they searched room by room. Police did not recover a weapon in the school.

Parents and teens were emotional when reunited after an alert of a lockdown at the school, which is in the heart of downtown New Haven.

Junior Chelsea Thomas said, "My main focus was I’m worried about my friends. Where are my friends at? Are they safe?"

Families tell Fox 61 they grew concerned when text updates to parents included messages about hiding in bathrooms while police dogs searched the building.

"I did want her to know that I love her and I told her everything that I heard," said Alayna Ellis after being reunited with her mother.

"It feels like a blessing to be able to see our families now because it could have been us," said junior Nychelle Lowery after hugging her mother, Crystal Lowery, who said, "A lot of mixed emotions going on. The most important thing to me right now is that my baby is safe. When I first heard about it, it was very scary and it's very traumatizing for the students, teachers, and staff."

Police were responding to an initial report of someone walking into the school with a gun.

Their investigation centered around an unidentified bag.

Chief Karl Jacobson said, "Through camera footage, we see a bag being left at a door, it being brought into the school, it being touched by two of three different students but moved around school."

Superintendent Keisha Redd-Hannans said, "We understand our families, their anxiety. We’re anxious as well."

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Police said it's still unclear if someone removed something from that bag in question before they arrived. But police said they have been in contact with the students in the video footage. Meanwhile, officials affirm Co-Op school is safe. Social workers were on site Tuesday and will be back on site Wednesday.

Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at [email protected]. 

Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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