Nina Schutzman

Poughkeepsie Journal

WICCOPEE - John Jay Senior High School students have "no reason to fear going to school" Wednesday, said East Fishkill Police Chief Kevin Keefe.

A student reportedly found a note Tuesday morning that alleged someone in the building had a gun, Keefe said. The student informed a staff member, which prompted a "hold-in-place" to be put into effect — students were kept in their classrooms and instruction continued —and an early dismissal.

But police do not believe there was ever any immediate threat to students and "at no point were there any threats made to individual students," Keefe added. East Fishkill and state police are investigating the origins of the note and suspect it was written by a student.

As a precaution, the building was searched by four bomb-sniffing police dogs that can also detect the scent of gunpowder, Keefe said. The dogs did not detect anything and the building was cleared by Tuesday afternoon.

There will be an increased police presence at John Jay on Wednesday, but "only to reassure students who may have concerns," Keefe said. "Not because we foresee any problems."

John Jay is one of two high schools in the Wappingers Central School District. Roy C. Ketcham High School was not affected.

Rumors of a student arrest were untrue. No arrests have been made in the case as of press time.

Nina Schutzman: nschutzman@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-451-4518 Twitter: @pojonschutzman