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Police Search Concluded For Man With Gun; Suspect Not Found

Update 10:30 a.m.: DARIEN, Conn. – Both the Darien and Norwalk police departments ended their joint search Wednesday morning for a man who was reported to be carrying a gun near the town line.

The police search began at the new rest area on I-95 in Darien.

The police search began at the new rest area on I-95 in Darien.

Photo Credit: Alfred Branch, file photo

The search concluded after 8 a.m. in Rowayton and the Tokeneke section of Darien, but it extended to the South Norwalk Train Station.

Darien High School and Middlesex Middle School were temporarily placed on lockout, meaning students were not to report to school, and Darien’s elementary schools were placed on a 90-minute delay as a result of the search.

UPDATE 8:30: DARIEN, Conn. -- A manhunt for a suspect with a gun was conducted through parts of Darien on Wednesday morning, involving the new rest area and Metro-North tracks and stations and putting local schools on a 90-minute delay, Darien police updated in a Facebook post

At about 7 a.m., Connecticut State Police received a report of a male with a handgun in the bathroom at the Darien I-95 Rest Stop, police said. Officers responded but did not locate anyone, police said.

A Metro-North worker reported a black male with camo shorts on the train tracks near the Darien/Norwalk line, police said. A search was conducted with a police canine toward Norwalk, and Norwalk officers also set up a perimeter of the train tracks ahead of the canine track, but no suspect was located or observed, police said. The search was ended with nothing found.

Officers have also checked Rowayton and South Norwalk stations as well as the surrounding areas of the tracks and nothing was located, police said.

Also, schools were on delay. "At approximately 7:25 a.m., a decision was made to put Darien High School and Middlesex Middle School on lockout. It was also determined that all elementary schools would operate on a 90-minute delay," the school district said on its website. "We believed that it would be best not having students waiting for buses or walking to school when there was a fugitive at large in the town. Shortly after 8 a.m., a follow-up Code Red message was received. At that time, we were informed by the Darien Police that Darien was 'all clear' and the lockout could be lifted. All elementary schools will be in session, but on a 90-minute delay."

No further information was available from State Police or Darien police, and no other incidents were reported.

Officers remained in the areas as a precaution. Train service was temporarily suspended while officers were on the tracks but service has resumed.

Original story: DARIEN, Conn. -- A potentially armed individual was reported in the Darien area on Wednesday morning, putting schools on alert, delaying trains and causing police activity in many locations, according to communication from the town.

"We have been notified through a code red alert from the Darien Police Department that a potentially armed individual is in the area. DHS and MMS should run on a lockout," the school district said on its website. "All elementary schools are on a 90-minute delay today Wednesday, June 19th, 2013."

On its facebook page, The Darien Police Department said it was working with the Connecticut State Police, Metro Transit Authority Police and Norwalk Police in searching for a man with a gun in the area of Tokenenke Road. 

"The subject reportedly entered the I-95 N/B Service area and entered the rest room and 'displayed' a handgun," police said. "The subject, a black male wearing camouflage shorts, was last seen running on the nearby railroad tracks toward Norwalk.

"At this point area residents are being asked to stay indoors and dial 911 if they see any suspicious activity.  The Board of Education has also been notified and will be disseminating information shortly."

Metro-North was warning of delays in the Norwalk-Darien area with the police activity. 

 

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