MARION, MASS. (WHDH) - After receiving reports of a suspicious person walking around a playground at a Marion elementary school Friday morning, police determined it to be a 12-year-old boy carrying a toy gun.
Marion police received a call about 11:05 a.m. that a male party, wearing a trench coat and fur hat, was carrying what appeared to be a rifle at the playground of the Sippican Elementary School.
Parents and children were present at the playground at the time, but the school was closed due to April vacation week.
When officers arrived, the individual was no longer at the playground.
Officers searched the area, but were unable to locate a person matching the description given.
While officers were searching the area, a woman walked into the Marion police station to report the incident and gave police images she took on her cell phone of the individual holding what looked like a firearm.
After an investigation, police were able to quickly identify the person as a 12-year-old boy.
Officers went to the boy’s house where they located him and confirmed that the gun was a toy that did not have an orange tip.
Through the investigation, it was determined that there was no threat to public safety, and no crime had been committed.
“I want to commend all of the people who called police to report this suspicious activity,” Marion Police Chief John Garcia said. “Our department takes all reports seriously, and I am glad that we were able to quickly determine that there was no threat. It pays to be careful, especially in this day and age.”
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