STONEHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - A report of gunfire that prompted a lockdown at multiple schools in Stoneham on Wednesday turned to be three men shooting at targets they had set up in the woods nearby.
State and local police responding to a report of a gunshot fired in the area of Franklin Street ordered a shelter in place at Stoneham High School, along with a nearby elementary school and middle school, according to Stoneham Police Chief James McIntyre.
Troopers, a state police helicopter, and K-9 units assisted with an investigation before the target shooters were located.
“When they arrived on the scene, they found people running in a yard behind us,” McIntyre said. “A person carrying a bag, another person had a target stand, another person was running and it looked like they were trying to hide items in a garage and shed.”
The men, whose names were not made public, initially claimed they had no idea what was going on but later admitted to firing rounds into a tree, according to police.
No arrests were made. The trio will be summonsed to court at a later date.
An investigation is ongoing.
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