Mass. teacher accused of planting live ammo at school, then calling police
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. —
A Southbridge teacher is accused of leaving ammunition in a school stairwell Thursday morning before calling police to report it.
Southbridge police said high school teacher Alfred Purcell III, 57, of Woodstock, Connecticut, reported to staff that he had just found one live round of 9 mm ammunition in the rear stairwell. The school was placed on lock down.
During the lockdown, police and Southbridge High School staff reviewed video footage and saw Purcell removing the live round of ammunition from his pocket, dropping it on the floor and quickly leaving the area, police said.
About 10 minutes later, the video shows Purcell standing over the ammunition and taking a picture of it with a cellphone, police said.
Police said Purcell then used a school-issued portable radio to request assistance in the stairwell from the school administration and school resource officer.
Purcell then returned to his class with his students during the lockdown, which lasted about an hour, police said.
Purcell was arrested at the school. Police said he admitted to intentionally dropping the live round of ammunition in the stairwell to "prove to the school that they needed to get metal detectors."
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. —
A Southbridge teacher is accused of leaving ammunition in a school stairwell Thursday morning before calling police to report it.
Southbridge police said high school teacher Alfred Purcell III, 57, of Woodstock, Connecticut, reported to staff that he had just found one live round of 9 mm ammunition in the rear stairwell. The school was placed on lock down.
During the lockdown, police and Southbridge High School staff reviewed video footage and saw Purcell removing the live round of ammunition from his pocket, dropping it on the floor and quickly leaving the area, police said.
About 10 minutes later, the video shows Purcell standing over the ammunition and taking a picture of it with a cellphone, police said.
Police said Purcell then used a school-issued portable radio to request assistance in the stairwell from the school administration and school resource officer.
Purcell then returned to his class with his students during the lockdown, which lasted about an hour, police said.
Purcell was arrested at the school. Police said he admitted to intentionally dropping the live round of ammunition in the stairwell to "prove to the school that they needed to get metal detectors."