Woman Falsely Reported Active Shooter Incident: East Hampton Police

EAST HAMPTON, CT — A woman is accused of falsely reporting an active shooter incident at the Middle School, police said Wednesday night.

At 12:47 p.m. Tuesday, police were notified of an active shooter incident occurring at the Middle School, located at 19 Childs Road, police said.

"Responding officers located a distraught female outside the front entrance of the school who provided them with information that there was a female active shooter inside the school," police said. "Officers made entry into the school to search for the shooter and while doing so additional information was obtained that the shooter may be at the high school."

"The high school was put in lockdown and additional responding officers went to the high school and searched the school and found nothing," police said. "As the investigation continued, we determined there was no active threat to either of the schools and the lockdowns were lifted."

The investigation continued through the evening and several individuals were interviewed, police said. The investigation continued Wednesday, and probable cause was developed that Monica Smith was the person that had actually made the threat to shoot up the school, police said.

Smith was the individual whom police initially encountered upon arriving at the school, police said.

Smith, 57, of Clubhouse Road in Lebanon, is charged with falsely reporting an incident concerning serious physical injury or death, misuse of the emergency 911 system, and second-degree breach of peace.

She was released after posting a $50,000 bond.

Smith was also told that she is banned from all East Hampton Schools and if she enters school property, she will face additional charges, police said.