UPTON, Mass. — A report of a suspicious person carrying a long gun that led to schools in Upton being placed in lockdown on Thursday morning ultimately turned out to be a hunter, authorities said.
Officers responded to the area of Pleasant Street near Glen Avenue just after 9:15 a.m. for a report of a man dressed in camouflage and carrying what appeared to be a long gun over his shoulder, according to the Upton Police Department.
After police learned that the person was allegedly heading in the direction of Nipmuc High School and Blackstone Valley Tech High School, officers ordered a lockdown at schools in the area out of an abundance of caution.
A search of the area ultimately concluded without any findings, and the schools were subsequently released from lockdown, police said.
Hours later, police announced a person matching the description of the individual had contacted police to inform them that they had been legally hunting in the area and carrying an unloaded firearm while returning to their vehicle.
Additional patrols were made available at schools in the area to assist resource officers during the investigation.
Fall hunting season in Massachusetts kicked off on Sept. 1.
The incident in Upton comes a day after a juvenile carrying a replica weapon sparked a lockdown on the campus of UMass Lowell.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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