The Community College of Rhode Island put its Warwick campus on lockdown on Tuesday from about 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., after a report of a person in the area carrying what looked like a gun.
A shelter-in-place order was also issued and later lifted for schools in Warwick’s Toll Gate complex, which include Toll Gate High School, Winman Middle School and Scott Elementary School..
Police from Warwick, state police and CCRI searched a wooded area off Commonwealth Avenue near the school and found a backpack matching the description of the one carried by the “suspicious person” with two fake guns inside.
At just after 1:30 Tuesday afternoon, CCRI posted messages on social media lifting the lockdown, and said the school would cancel all classes and activities for the rest of the day.
Police are still searching for the person of interest, according to a statement by Warwick Police Maj. Robert Hart.
“Although he has not yet been located, there is no indication that he poses a danger to the public,” Hart said in the statement.
‘Run, hide, or fight’
At 9:15 Tuesday morning, CCRI sent a text message to students and staff saying the campus was on lockdown “as a precaution.” The school said it would suspend classes and ordered all exterior doors locked.
On its Facebook page, CCRI advised people of the now familiar response to potential danger in public places: “Lockdown at the Warwick campus. Based on location, decide to run, hide, or fight. Seek shelter, turn off lights and silence your cell phone. Wait for all-clear.”
After the incident, CCRI President Rosemary Costigan said in a statement that the school initiated the lockdown “out of an abundance of caution.”
“Based on information provided by law enforcement, the incident was not connected to CCRI, and the individual involved appears to have no affiliation with the college,” Costigan said in a statement after the lockdown was lifted. “Law enforcement activity was confined to the wooded areas along the campus perimeter.”
Warwick police said officers are continuing their search for the person of interest.
“This event appears to have been isolated activity and there was never any known threat to area schools, businesses, or residents,” Hart said.
