Platt Lockdown Has Ended - Police Take Two Minors into Custody in Platt High School Bomb Scare

Update - Wednesday, May 4, 1:56 p.m.

Meriden Police have arrested two minors in this morning's bomb scare, according to police spokesman Sgt. Leonard Caponigro. Both are Platt High School students. One, a 17-year-old male, was charged with making a false report and the other, a 17-year-old female was charged with breach of peace. As minors, the youths' names cannot be released to the media. 

Update - Wednesday, May 4, 11:35 a.m.

A lockdown at Platt High School due to a bomb threat has ended, following a police sweep of the building. Classes are continuing at the school, but many parents have come to release their children and bring them home.

Michael Acevedo, a freshman at the school, was leaving the building with his father at about 11:15 a.m. after being stuck in a Biology class for three hours this morning.  

"It was kind of fun," Acevedo said, when asked if he was scared during the lockdown. 

Acevedo said he texted his brother at Maloney High School and his father throughout the incident. He said his father decided to bring him home when the lockdown ended because he was still nervous about the event. 

Update - Wednesday, May 4, 10:50 a.m.

Police say an anonymous bomb threat called into Platt High School at around 7:30 a.m. was a hoax.

Police removed a male student in handcuffs at about 10:15 am from the building, saying that he admitted to calling in the threat.

The school remains in lockdown mode until a K-9 unit from Colchester arrives to sweep the school as a precautionary measure, according to Meriden Police Public Information Officer Leonard Caponigro.

Worried parents have been driving to the school throughout the morning, either asking to pick up their children, or just to watch the proceedings.

The police and superintendent's office are not letting students leave the premises.

"I knew they wouldn't let me in," said Allison Barillarro, who pulled up to the school at 10:30 and parked across the street. "I just felt I needed to be here should something happen."

Barillaro's daughter is a junior at the school and has been sending her text messages since the lockdown began. Barilliarro indicated that she took the threat seriously because of recent world events - like the killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. 

Some parents seemed frustrated that they couldn't take their children out of school, as they spoke to police blockading the front of the school with squad cars.

But David and Zoraida Arvelo said they were pleased with the information police gave them about the progress of the incident as they stood across the street from the school on Coe Avenue.

"The cops were very helpful, and full of information," David Arvelo said.  The couple has a niece who attends Platt and came to the school after seeing the news on Facebook. Their son attends Wilcox Technical High School just down the street and also sent them text messages with information he'd heard about the threat. 

Original story -

Platt High School is on lockdown this morning after a bomb threat.

"An anonymous individual called in a bomb threat. While we do not feel the threat is credible, police and school personnal are taking all precautionary measures," according to a statement by the city's Schools Superintendent Mark Benigni. 

No other schools are on lockdown, according to the administration, but parents have reported that nearby Benjamin Franklin Elementary also had its exterior doors locked with teachers posted at them to let students inside. 

Details to come as they are available.