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Police: Suspicious Man on Roof Locks Down Tremont Elementary

Thirty children in building at the time were moved to secure area; police still searching for man who fled scene.

Suffolk Police swarmed to Tremont Elementary School in Medford Thursday evening after receiving a 911 call reporting a "suspicious male" on the roof, police said.

A security guard at the school saw the man on the roof and attempted to speak with him, but he lost visual contact with the man when the guard went to a door to confront him, police said.

The guard did not know if the person was in the school or fled outside, police said. Approximately 30 children in an after-school program at Tremont at the time were moved to a secure area and a police officer stayed with the children, police said.

The children were not alarmed, according to police. 

Police reviewed video and determined the man fled outside of the school and did not go inside.

A K-9 unit searched for the man, described as white and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, but did not find him, police said.

Following the Newtown shooting, the Patchogue-Medford Board of Education approved a measure to place security guards in all of the district's elementary schools.

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Tina Nicoletti January 4, 2013 at 01:43 am
My daughter goes to Medford Elementary -I want to know and be reassured that ALL DOORS ARE LOCKED ALL THE TIME?!?!?
Betsy Findel January 4, 2013 at 02:17 am
My grandson is in kindergarten at tremont his mother already died 3 years ago .. I trust in patmed both his mom and my daughter both have be schooled here great security system
LLB January 4, 2013 at 02:29 am
Approximately 30 children in an after-school program at Tremont at the time were all moved to a secure area and an officer stayed with the children, police said.
The children were not alarmed, according to police. really children moved from one area to another and were watched extra closely they were not alarmed I hope they catch this man!
brendan McCaffrey January 4, 2013 at 02:32 am
Sad, I was at Tremont from 82-88 and we did fire drills not lock down drills and the only time I saw a police officer there was for the bike rodeo.
Concerned January 4, 2013 at 03:23 am
Where's the phone call to all Pat-Med. families about this event from Superintendent Locantore??? Like the call from Mr. Locantore stating rumors flying around about students threatening the High School? Well... that wasn't just a rumor as the families found out, there was indeed a threat of students coming to school with guns, that all had found out about this after the fact, these students were suspended until further notice. Security at these schools are a joke! I demand to know the truth from our Superintendent when events like these transpire and how the district will handle it. If Superintendent Locantore cannot perform these tasks, he should be dismissed from his duties!
Vicky January 4, 2013 at 03:49 am
I think the security personnel are doing an excellent job in protecting the students of Tremont. While the situation is very scary, they handled it well and I am impressed with them as I have met them and watched them in line of duty. One (if not all) are retired police officers.
Vicky January 4, 2013 at 03:50 am
I am thankful that they are there doing their best to protect our children and tomorrow they are increasing security even more which is an added plus.
Mom and more January 4, 2013 at 04:20 am
I have called super and my schools principal at pat med and was met with a very defensive in helpful principal . My concerns were not addressed efficiently at all. I do not want to announce my concern as fear creeps like this guy will read and get were the lack of security is . But there are big holes in the new security guard policy and if u ask me I would volunteer to do it myself if I was aloud. The super never called me back, and my principal attitude is concerning. This makes homeschooling seem like a good idea !!!!!!
Mom and more January 4, 2013 at 04:21 am
Un helpful I meant as the principal was NOT helpful at Barton
Mom and more January 4, 2013 at 04:28 am
I'm all for applauding a job well done, thank goodness everyone is safe . But, can I ask how the guy got on the darn roof ? What was that fab security personnel doing while the sycho climbed on the roof?!?!? Job well done ?
Joe January 4, 2013 at 04:50 am
I have a child in tremont and I am not impressed with the school as a whole let alone its security practices. Anyone with an ID get gain access to the school during school hours and at dismissal the staff releases children from k to 2nd grade to anyone the child recognizes or points to... I feel they need to implement more secure policies when it comes to our childrens safety. I do however feel that the staff handled todays incident to the best of there ability... Its just really sad we have to worry about our children being safe in school.
M. B. January 4, 2013 at 04:51 am
Thank you for NOT publishing where that secure area was. The media tends to release way to much information these days. Our "freedoms" often make it easier for harm to find its way in.
M. B. January 4, 2013 at 04:54 am
Comment above should read "too" not "to". Whoops!
Life is Good January 4, 2013 at 01:06 pm
They are. Security is doing a great job with the tools they are given. Hopefully, all school districts will be given additional "tools" to protect the children.
Margaret January 4, 2013 at 02:06 pm
I, too, would like to know how the guy got on the roof. We are paying for new security in the elementary schools. I realize one guard cannot be everywhere. It would be nice to know how this individual got on the roof. Also, are there cameras up there? Has the person been identified. We are still looking in bags every day at the high school. What a huge, stupid waste of time!
matt jackson January 4, 2013 at 02:42 pm
security cameras please
Rose Dymond January 4, 2013 at 03:21 pm
I think you should rethink that home schooling idea.. since you can't spell!!!
Seriously, the fact that there were security already in place, on hand, is a testament to the schools doing the correct thing. Protect the children.
Margaret January 4, 2013 at 04:20 pm
Not so impressed. How did the guy get on the roof in the first place...
Chris K January 4, 2013 at 04:56 pm
The answer to our gun control problems is to throw more guns into?
Pat-Med Kid January 4, 2013 at 07:19 pm
The call was made to families today. Locantore is an amazing superintendent and has already done the district an amazing service--much more than anyone could have expected from Moscow. I am sure Locantore had a lot going on and needed to deal with police efforts and protecting our children.
FroggyDaDoo January 4, 2013 at 07:26 pm
Why would you announce that to everyone on the internet, Joe? Your putting our kids in danger.
Khrystene January 4, 2013 at 08:25 pm
"The children were not alarmed, according to police."...until they went home and were terrified by their bat crazy parents! Truth: more children are harmed by family memebers than at school! Stop scaring children geez...
Kathy Walcott January 4, 2013 at 09:46 pm
Tina I work at Medford and all doors are locked as well as the cafeteria doors in the front hallway. Shades are drawn and windows are locked in cafe.
ROB January 4, 2013 at 11:28 pm
May be it was some teenager playing handball or something. Lost his ball and went up to get it. I use to do it alll the time back in the 80s.
Concerned January 5, 2013 at 03:02 am
Matt- I agree security cameras at the very least. We pay some of the highest taxes in the country, so why are there not Police Officers patrolling our schools, in many states across the country there are Police Officers dedicated just to the school districts, why not here??? These are different times from when many of us parents went to school, and the proper security measures should be taken for the children's sake.
Concerned January 5, 2013 at 03:09 am
So you think he's pretty AMAZING, huh. 1 day after the fact, too bust to send out a call, what was he doing? Chasing this person down? Protecting the children, what was the so called security doing then? Conducting the investigation? HIS JOB is to inform the parents of events that are transpiring, I'll determine what is safe for my child, don't forget who pays all these salaries
Concerned January 5, 2013 at 03:14 am
We need Police patrolling our schools, it is indeed different times, wake up non-believers.
Concerned January 5, 2013 at 03:16 am
The doors were locked at Sandy Hook Elementary too!!!!
Cheryl Deptola January 7, 2013 at 08:47 pm
They have the wrong guy too, btw !!!! Yup, good job, security ppls !!!!
Cheryl Deptola January 11, 2013 at 03:27 pm
DEAR MARGARET, THANK YOU...... ED WEISS IS MY BOYFRIEND, HE HAD A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN 2000, HE HAS 1/2 OF AN ANKLE..... AND HE RAN FROM SECURITY ?????? I HAVENT SEEN MY MAN RUN IN 7 1/2 YEARS THAT IVE BEEN WITH HIM..... HES GETTING OUT TODAY !!!! IM HEARING LAWSUIT !!!!!! THANK YOU, AGAIN !!!!!
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
jared June 11, 2013 at 11:26 am
dissolve LIPA and give the lines back to Nationalgrid as one company back like when it was LILCO.Read More LIPA = what happens when government gets involved in private business
Lipa Oversight June 12, 2013 at 07:15 pm
The proposed structure will have zero enforceable oversight by the PSC, Comptroller or AttorneyRead More General, Let alone the fact that close to 200 pair of eyes through lipa will no longer be scrutinizing what the sub contractor does,pseg. And on top of all that there is a built in profit layer of 10%, management fees, management bonuses and off island shareholder accountability....That being said and knowing that privatization is not financially feasible. The only workable solution is full Municipalization like 2000 other utilities in the country who have some of the lowest rates and highest customer satisfaction....all the governor is proposing is kicking the can down the street and out of sight regardless of cost to the ratepayer....we can not afford another cuomo mistake like his dad with Lilco....