Auburn Middle School and a nearby fire station briefly went into lockdown Tuesday morning while officers searched for a suspect whose cellphone had been reported in the school’s parking lot. Police later cleared the area; Auburn’s police chief said the suspect may never have been there.
According to the Worcester Telegram, Auburn Police Chief Scott Mills said his department was contacted by Worcester police Tuesday morning as Worcester detectives pursued a suspect believed to have been involved in an assault. Authorities received a ping from the suspect's cell phone placing it in the middle school's parking lot, prompting the rapid response.
A Search at the School and Nearby Fire Station
The lockdown covered the school at 9 West St. and the nearby fire station at 7 West St. Auburn and state police officers searched the school grounds and surrounding area, according to the report.
After the search, authorities deemed the area safe and the school reopened. Mills said it was possible the suspect had not been in the parking lot.
What a Phone-Location Ping Can Show
The word “ping” alone does not establish how precisely a phone’s location was identified. In a separate 2018 case, the U.S. Supreme Court said the precision of historical cell-site location records depends on the geographic area covered by a cell site. The decision does not establish what phone-location method police used in Auburn.
The Chief Says the Response Was a Precaution
Mills said officers had to exercise due diligence while trying not to cause unnecessary alarm. “It's a balancing act,” he added, according to the report.
The Worcester Police Department was still investigating as of Tuesday, Mills told the Telegram. Authorities have not released further details about the suspect’s identity or the alleged assault.
