Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Two Farmington Schools on Lockdown After Morning Phone Threat

Police have been at Gill and Power Upper Elementary schools today after an 'agitated caller' made reference to the Trayvon Martin case.

A spokesperson said classes have gone on as usual today, after and Schools were placed on lockdown this morning. 

"We're releasing (students) as usual," FPS spokesperson Diane Bauman said. "The police will be there as a precaution."

She said the police presence on both campuses was to monitor who came and went at the schools, after a threatening phone call was received. 

Find out what's happening in Farmington-Farmington Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATE: a similar threat was received today at Winchester Elementary School. John Werth, Northville Township Director of Public Safety, said while authorities are investigating the threat, they do not consider it "credible". Similar calls were made to Livonia and Redford schools. 

Investigative Division Commander David Stasch said local authorities also don't consider this a credible threat; however, officials will continue to investigate and bring charges, if a suspect is identified. He said the school received a second call at dismissal time; however, Bauman said the call was "of a different nature" than the first. 

Find out what's happening in Farmington-Farmington Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gill parents were notified via an email from principal Mark Morawski that authorities were contacted after "an agitated caller, who made reference to the nationally-known Trayvon Martin situation in Florida" called the school. Similar phone calls were received in a number of neighboring districts as well, Morawski wrote. 

In a note to Power parents, principal Jim Anderson said while the school did not receive a call, it was also placed on lock down, because Gill and Power are on the same campus west of Gill Rd., between Eight and Nine Mile.

Martin is a 17-year-old Florida youth who was shot to death by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman, while walking home after purchasing a drink and candy. 

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch for updates. 

Correction: The name of Trayvon Martin was incorrectly spelled in the original version of this story. 


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