Police arrested a 17-year-old Westbrook boy after he fled from police and briefly hid in Saccarappa School late last Friday afternoon.
Police said the boy, whose name is not being released due to his age, was inside the school for under a minute at a time when there were no students present, and he was arrested without injury to himself or others.
Police Chief Paul McCarthy said police initially received a call at about 5 p.m. from the boy’s mother asking for assistance because her son was out of control. As police responded to the call, McCarthy said the boy fled the house. He subsequently called his mother from a cell phone and told her he had a shotgun.
McCarthy said police searching for the boy spotted him near the school, and began to chase him. In his attempt to elude police, the boy went into the school. Police then surrounded the school and entered the building to catch the boy.
Police Capt. Tom Roth, who was at the scene, said the boy was in the building less than a minute, and he ran out the front door as police came in the back door. He was immediately arrested as he came out of the building, Roth said. Because the suspect was in the building for such a short time, Roth said police did not have time to evacuate the building.
After arresting the boy, Roth said police searched the building for weapons. They found a knife they believe the boy ditched in the bathroom as he ran through the school. Roth said there was no evidence the boy ever had a shotgun or firearm of any kind.
Assistant School Superintendent Jan Breton said, because it was so late in the afternoon, there were no students in the building at the time of the incident. She said, to the best of her knowledge, the only people in the building at the time were an adult yoga class and the school’s custodial staff.
McCarthy said the boy was charged with criminal mischief and assault. He added that after he was arrested, the boy was also charged with burglary to a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property in an unrelated incident. He was taken to Long Creek Youth Center in South Portland.
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