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Shots Fired Outside CT Schools Lead To 'Soft Lockdown'

A drive-by shooting led to “soft lockdowns” for several Connecticut schools as police investigated reports of shots fired.

The closed roads in Rocky Hill.

The closed roads in Rocky Hill.

Photo Credit: Rocky Hill Police Department

In Hartford County, police said that police in Rocky Hill responded to the area of Orchard Street and Textbook Avenue at approximately 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 7, where there were reports of shots fired from one vehicle toward a second vehicle.

According to police, it does not appear that anyone was struck by the bullets, though the investigation is still preliminary.

Rocky Hill Public Schools superintendent Mark Zito said that the shooting happened in the general area of the Myrtle H. Stevens Elementary School, Albert D. Griswold Middle School, and Rock Hill High School.

The Moser and West Hill schools were not placed in any sort of lockdown because of their distance from the incident.

“Stevens Pre-K morning students were dismissed prior to the incident and the afternoon Pre-K students will be safely supervised by local police as they enter the school," Zito said in a letter to parents at the outset of the investigation.

"A 'soft lockdown' means that no individuals will be allowed to enter or exit those schools but instructional and other school operations will continue without interruption.”

As of 2 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, Zito announced that the soft lockdowns had been removed and normal operations have resumed at all three schools. There were no changes to dismissal times.

The police investigation led to a section of Orchard Street from Textbook Street to Fern Street to be closed, neither of which was reopened as of 2 p.m. on Tuesday.


“Bus routes will be rerouted accordingly. Staff at Stevens and GMS will be in touch with parents of ‘walkers’ who are impacted by the road closure and will be requesting that parents pick up their children today and escort them home,” Zito said.

“The police have determined that there is no longer a threat at this point. All students and staff are safe,” he added. "The restriction on parents and guardians picking up their children has been removed as the police have lifted the soft lockdown situation.” 

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