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School Ammunition Probe Continues

By Scott MacKeen
Staff Writer
4/22/10
Authorities continue to investigate a string of recent cases involving ammunition found at Milton High School.

The incidents occurred March 15, April 13 and April 15.

On April 20, a police dive-investigation team followed up a lead at Pope’s Pond. Divers discovered 100 rounds of .22 caliber bullets, which they believe to be linked to the April 13 incident.

Police Chief Richard Wells Jr. said the individual being charged in juvenile court in connection with that incident led investigators to the pond, where he told them he dumped the bullets two days after the school lockdown.

During the April 13 incident, two students found several live handgun rounds in a stairwell at the high school.

At that time, the school of 1,100 students was placed in lockdown for five hours as more than 40 officers from Milton and other communities combed the campus and went room-by-room to search the building. No weapon was found and police said no one was in danger during the lockdown.

Police now believe a 14-year-old freshman from Milton High School was responsible for that incident, although they are not releasing his name.

According to a letter that School Superintendent Mary Gormley e-mailed to parents three days after the incident, two parents came forward April 16 with information that “proved to be vital to the identification of the suspect.” The parents came forward a day after authorities and school officials held a special forum at the high school to discuss the recent ammo scares with the public, Gormley’s letter stated.

Wells said the 14-year-old is under the supervision of his parents and will be charged as a juvenile in Quincy District Court. The charges include ammunition possession, disturbance of the peace and disrupting a school assembly.

According to the chief, the suspect described “to several students” his plan to bring the ammunition to school the day prior to the incident.

“He had previewed this on the day before” through cell-phone text messages to fellow Milton High students, Wells told the Times in a phone interview.

However, police do not suspect the same student was behind the two other cases of ammunition being found at the school, including the second incident last week.

On April 15, a student found a live handgun round in a “public area” of the school, Wells said. The school was not placed in lockdown during that incident, as the search was largely contained to outside the building, he said. However, while students went to classes as scheduled and were released on time, no one was allowed to enter or leave the building.

“This was a much different style of operation,” Wells told a crowd of more than 200 parents during the April 15 forum, which took place just hours after last week’s second incident.

He added, “Everyone was in place. Everyone was OK. I can guarantee you that.”

In the second case last week, the bullet was discovered around 10 a.m., and was followed by a nearly three-hour search by authorities of the school grounds, including a search of around 30 vehicles in the parking lot. No weapon was found, Wells said.

The search involved officers from Milton, Boston Quincy and a K9 unit from Auburn, he said. He said the two operations last week resulted in about $50,000 in law-enforcement expenses.

Wells said police treat finding ammunition in a school the same as finding a gun.

“This is wrong. Period. The penalty is going to be significant,” he said.

Milton High Principal Dr. John Drottar planned to hold separate assembles for each grade during the day following the April 15 incident to discuss the recent events with students.

School Superintendent Mary Gormley urged teachers to stay alert.

“We’re counting on our teachers. We want them to speak up. [They are] our best line of defense,” she said.

Several parents at the forum questioned how information was filtered to them during the incidents last week. Some parents expressed frustration in the lack of communication from authorities as the events were unfolding.

During the April 13 incident, the school was placed in lockdown at around 11 a.m., but e-mail and phone messages notifying parents were not sent out until 1:55 p.m. During the April 15 incident, Wells said, he and Gormley made careful decisions about how and when to disseminate information, and that the priority was always to keep the students and staff safe.

“The last thing we want to have is chaos,” he said.

Wells said students were also urged during the incidents not to use their cell phones because it was interfering with police radio traffic.

Parent Robin Cushing said being able to maintain a conversation with her daughter via text messages kept her calm during the ordeals.

“Why couldn’t parents be updated every half-hour?” she asked.

One parent, who did not want to have her name published, called the lack of communication “unacceptable.” She said she is considering sending her child to a different high school next year.

Another person questioned why a student who found bullets on the stairwell was allowed to handle the ammunition.

Wells said the ammunition by itself was not harmful and the fact that the student brought it forward was “a good thing.”

“They did the right thing in bringing it to our attention,” he said.

According to the chief, during the April 13 lockdown, several student lockers and backpacks were searched. He told the Times in a subsequent interview that although no weapon was uncovered, authorities discovered drug paraphernalia associated with marijuana use. He said those matters were turned over to school administrators, who he said were better equipped to handle it.

Drottar was unavailable for comment this week.

The April 15 incident is now the third recent occurrence of live ammo being discovered at the high school. On March 15, a parent found a single 12-gauge-shotgun shell outside the main entrance, which led to a lockdown.

Those with information can call Police Lt. Detective William West at (617) 898-4804 or the main number at (617) 698-3800. There is also an anonymous tip line available at (617) 698-COPS (2677).