Hyde Park school officials said they would review the district’s response, add no-trespassing signs, examine communication procedures between buildings sharing the property and consider other security measures. Superintendent Pedro Roman said staff saw no visible weapons on campus and that the man was not confrontational when approached. Officials did not initiate a lockdown because they initially had no report or visual evidence of weapons, according to Daily Voice and Mid Hudson News.
What the district’s safety plan says
The district’s 2024-2025 safety plan describes regular safety oversight: its District SAVE Committee was to meet bi-monthly, and building-level safety teams monthly, according to Hyde Park Central School District. The plan also includes general emergency-response and communication provisions.
A separate earlier safety incident
News 12 Hudson Valley reported that a separate incident at FDR High School in February 2026 involved a report of a bullet in a toilet, which prompted a hold-in-place on a Wednesday. That incident was distinct from the current case involving an adult near Haviland Middle School, according to News 12 Hudson Valley.
Police identified the man as Hyde Park resident Daniel M. Prospero, 54. According to Daily Voice, officers found him with a knife and two rifle magazines, one loaded, but no firearm. Police took him into custody and brought him to a local hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Daily Voice also reported that a search of his home found no firearms.
The incident began with a report at about 1:25 p.m. Monday of a man in camouflage and a bulletproof vest in a field behind Haviland Middle School, Daily Voice reported. A school resource officer later saw him riding toward Ralph R. Smith Elementary School and found him near Violet Avenue and Hidden Brook Estates.
Police have not announced criminal charges, and the investigation remains active. Daily Voice reported that police planned an increased presence at Haviland Middle School as an additional precaution.
