Mass. schools placed in lockdown due to hunter with unloaded gun, police say

Reports of a suspicious man carrying a gun who turned out to be a hunter prompted two Upton schools to go into lockdown Thursday morning, police said.

The person, who was wearing camouflage clothing and carrying a “long gun,” was walking on Pleasant Street in the direction of Nipmuc High School and Blackstone Valley Technical High School around 9:17 a.m., the Uptown Police Department said . 

The two schools were placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure while officers investigated, police said. 

An initial search concluded without any findings, and the schools were released from lockdown, according to police.

After Upton police released a statement about the incident, the person contacted the department to identify themself, an updated release posted at 12:30 p.m. said. 

The personl told police they had been legally hunting, and were carrying an unloaded firearm while returning to their car. 

“The Upton Police Department would like to thank both the individual for promptly coming forward and the initial caller for reporting what they believed to be a potential threat to public safety,” police said. “These actions reflect the importance of community cooperation in keeping Upton safe.”

A spokesperson from Blackstone Valley Technical High School said the information from Upton police was shared with parents, students, and staff.

Fall hunting season in Massachusetts began Sept. 1.

The incident comes just a day after a juvenile carrying a rifle-style gun prompted a lockdown at UMass Lowell.