Crime & Safety

Westfield State Lockdown: 'Suspicious Man' Reported

State police and campus police searched for a "suspicious man" that has been reported on campus, which was locked down.

WESTFIELD, MA — After Westfield State was on lockdown for nearly two hours, State Police have determined that reports of a "suspicious man" have been unfounded, and the lockdown was lifted around 3 p.m. on Monday.

State Police responded to assist campus police shortly after 1 p.m. when a report of a "suspicious man" surfaced.

As of 1:53 p.m., a sweep of the campus was still underway, with the sole witness who reported the suspect being interviewed, said Massachusetts State Police.

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Police were searching for a white male with a trench coat, backpack and possible body armor. Police said the information was not confirmed.

Westfield State said that it was in lockdown, saying those on campus should "stay in place until further notice."

Find out what's happening in Worcesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Westfield State is a four-year university in Western Massachusetts. Westfield is about 10 miles west of Springfield.

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