Lt. Doug AllenCOLCHESTER, Vt. -
Two Colchester schools were locked down Thursday, but luckily it was just a false alarm.
Police say around 4 p.m. two students at Malletts Bay Elementary school told officials they saw a man with a gun in the woods by the school. That launched a large police response. Both Malletts Bay and the Colchester Middle School were locked down. After about 90 minutes police found a man who matched the description. But he didn't have a gun. He had survey equipment. Police say a big response was needed even for a false alarm.
"It is the age we live in. And really it's been since Columbine - but Sandy Hook brought it to the forefront. But it's always a concern and especially with our most valuable possessions - our children - we want to make sure everyone remains safe," explained Lt. Doug Allen with the Colchester Police Department.
Most students had already left for the day -- but there were after-school programs going on.
