Schools in one Hudson Valley district were placed on lockout, meaning people could not go in or out of the building, as a precaution after a man authorities had brought in for questioning in connection with an unrelated shooting in the area walked out of the precinct Friday morning, officials said.
The school district initially said it was told a man with a gun had fled police custody, and the security measures were then implemented at four schools in Monticello -- Robert J. Kaiser Middle School, Monticello High School, George L. Cooke Elementary School and Kenneth L. Rutherford Elementary School out of an abundance of precaution.
Police later said they had brought the man in for questioning after they encountered a 20-year-old man shortly after midnight with gunshot wounds. The shot man was taken to a hospital by helicopter and the other man was seen in a "suspicious vehicle" nearby so police brought him in. While at the stationhouse, the man walked out. It wasn't clear if he had been handcuffed at the time.
No gun was recovered at the scene where the 20-year-old man was shot. That man was undergoing surgery Friday.
The lockout remained in place for hours at the four Monticello schools. Students were to be dismissed on a regular schedule but afterschool activities were cancelled.
