Police say girl's story about Concord High incident was 'a complete fabrication'

By TRICIA L. NADOLNY

Monitor staff

Last modified: 6/20/2013 4:02:59 PM

10:51 a.m.: The police say the girl who reported being threatened with a gun last night at Concord High School made up the story and could face charges for lying. Concord police Lt. Timothy O'Malley said at a press conference this morning that the report, made at about 7:35 p.m., of a man at the school having a gun was "a complete fabrication."The police, after locking down the building and calling in a SWAT team, arrested an 18-year-old student at his Concord home and charged him with criminal threatening. Officials now say the man may not have even been at the school at the time the report was made. "There appears to be some discrepancies in times but we are of the belief he probably left (the school) prior to this happening," O'Malley said.Concord police Chief John Duval said detectives had probable cause to charge the man based off an initial interview with the girl. But he said her story didn't hold up on further questioning at the police department.The man was in custody for about four hours, O'Malley said This story will be updated.



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9:21 a.m.: The police have dropped the charges filed last night against a Concord High School student accused of pointing a gun at another student. Officials say the 16-year-old girl who reported being threatened lied about parts of the story.



The report of an armed student at the school, made at about 7:35 p.m. yesterday, prompted officials to place the school in lockdown as police officers and a SWAT team searched the building. An 18-year-old man was arrested shortly after at his home in Concord and charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, a Class B felony, the police said.



“Detectives assigned to the case conducted a follow up interview with the alleged victim,” the police wrote in a press release this morning. “As a result of this interview, detectives determined that the victim had lied about events and that the incident had not occurred as originally reported. The original suspect was subsequently released from custody and is currently facing no charges.”



In an email alert sent out to parents of Concord High School students this morning Principal Gene Connolly reported that there was no gun involved in the incident. "It was alleged that the individual had a gun, but it has since been confirmed that he did not," Connolly wrote. "It was a false report that has been recanted."Connolly said that the school was thoroughly searched by local and state police. "Nothing was found," he said.



The police will hold a press conference at about 10 a.m. to provide further details. Check in with concordmonitor.com for updates on this story as they unfold.



(Tricia L. Nadolny can be reached at 369-3306 or tnadolny@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @tricia_nadolny.)





