NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – A man in a clown costume prompted an hourlong lockdown at New Britain High School in Connecticut Thursday morning, and eventually led to two arrests, according to police.
Two students were outside for a class activity with their teacher around 10 a.m. when they saw a car drive through the campus. One of the passengers was wearing a clown mask.
The students said they noticed the clown immediately when they heard blaring music and the car's horn beeping, police said.
The school was put on a precautionary lockdown for about an hour "due to the nationwide attention regarding clown threats and hoaxes," according to a statement from the district. Police investigated and searched for the car. Officers remained outside the school for the rest of the school day.
Police later identified the driver of the car as Mary Vega, 35, of New Britain and the passenger wearing the mask was identified as Johnston Cox, 39, of Windsor. Both turned themselves in to police and were charged with breach of peace in the second degree. They're being held on $10,000 bond each.
Parents were notified and no one was injured in the incident.
City officials said that a meeting will be held on Monday to discuss the issue of clown sightings, especially with Halloween just a few weeks away.
