Official Statement From State Police

At approximately 1:30 PM (on March 6, 2013), Manchester Police received a 911 report of a possible armed person at Manchester Community College. The 911 caller was a student at the school and stated that she believed that she had observed a heavy-set Hispanic male walking through the hallway with what appeared to be a handgun protruding out from his waistband. The caller became alarmed and contacted the police.

Numerous local police Officers and State Police and Local Police tactical teams responded to the college. State Police Troopers also responded to the scene, in order to ensure the safety of all the students on campus at the time. Troopers and Officers were arriving on scene, many students were already leaving campus however numerous students that were still inside the MCC buildings were instructed to “shelter in place” per MCC protocol.

As officers were searching the building for the possible suspect, one Manchester Police Officer had an accidental discharge of his department weapon and the officer suffered a gunshot wound to his foot. The officer was transported via police cruiser to Hartford Hospital Emergency Department. There is no further update on his medical condition and the injured officer ‘s name is not being released at this time.

Manchester Community College Campus was secured and all students were released from the scene. It is important to note that conducting such a search is a methodical task, It is time consuming due to the vast number of classrooms- some of which contained several hundred students who all needed to be searched prior to allowing the students to be released.

State Police Major Crime Detectives also responded to the scene to conduct the investigation into the suspicious incident involving the possible possession of a weapon on campus and also to conduct the investigation into the accidental discharge of the weapon by the Manchester Officer.

State Police Detectives interviewed the female 911 caller and determined that her description of the possible armed person was as being a heavy-set Hispanic male, about 5’8 – 5’10, wearing a red short sleeved shirt. State Police Detectives did not locate any additional witnesses and no evidence was located at the scene.

The State Police Major Crime Detectives will continue the investigation into this reported suspicious incident and into the accidental weapon discharge.

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Lt. J. Paul Vance