West Hartford Police are continuing to investigate after handgun ammunition was found in a magazine on the grounds of Bristow Middle School on Tuesday morning.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police said that a custodian who was performing his regular duties outside Bristow Middle School found a magazine loaded with handgun ammunition on the grounds of the school.

Capt. Daniel Moffo, in a news release issued Tuesday evening, said that police and West Hartford Board of Education personnel immediately took action “to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty, and community members.”

The magazine was discovered at approximately 10:30 a.m., and the school was immediately secured, Moffo said. Officers, assisted by a K9, swept the school. No “firearms, weapons, or threatening objects” were found, police said, either inside the school, in the area where the magazine was found, or anywhere else on school grounds.

Police said there were multiple classes on field trips on Tuesday, and while the school was not fully occupied during the initial investigation those students were off campus would be subjected to “safe searches prior to returning to school grounds.” Police did not indicate that any firearms or other dangerous objects were found once the remaining students returned to school.

“The West Hartford Police Department and its members take incidents such as these very seriously, as the safety of our community is our primary concern,” Moffo’s email said. “We encourage parents and community members to have conversations with their loved ones regarding notifying the police department immediately when or if a firearm or firearm accessory is found.”

Anyone with information that may assist in what continues to be an active and ongoing investigation is asked to contact West Hartford Police at 860-523-5203 or via the anonymous tip line 860-570-8969 or email [email protected].

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