Cape Cod Police Find No Threat From Man Walking In Woods Behind School

FALMOUTH, MA — Police officers on Cape Cod said there was no cause for concern after a man walked into the woods behind a local school on Thursday.

The Falmouth Police Department responded to Morse Pond School after receiving a report of a man who parked in the staff lot and then walked into the nearby woods around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Officers quickly arrived and located the vehicle, but were unable to find the person, police said. Given the recent threats in the community, officers began an extensive search of the wooded area surrounding Morse Pond School.

• Read more: Cape Cod Man Charged In School Shooting Threat Gets Bail

A Mashpee Police K9 unit assisted, and the Falmouth Police Drone Unit and ATV Unit were deployed.

At approximately 8:42 p.m., the man emerged from the woods and was located by officers. He fully cooperated with the police during an investigation.

Following a thorough assessment, officers determined he did not pose a threat to the schools, and he was released, officials said.

Out of an abundance of caution, K9 units from the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office and surrounding police departments conducted an additional search of the area the following morning, around 6 a.m. No concerning items were found.

This comes after 18-year-old Cape Cod resident Ian Fotheringham was recently arraigned on the charge of threatened use of a deadly weapon in a public building. Fotheringham was detained by the court until a dangerousness hearing, when a judge set his bail at $2,500.

In August 2025, members of the Falmouth Police Department received "concerning information" about Fotheringham. Specifically, investigators were informed that, allegedly, "Fotheringham indicated that he wanted to shoot up a school."

At the time, Fortheringham didn't specify what school, but he did state, officials allege, that he was refurbishing firearms in his room.