News

Actions

2 adults charged after wearing clown masks outside New Britain High School

Posted at 5:22 PM, Oct 13, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-13 17:45:22-04

NEW BRITAIN — A disturbance near New Britain High School on Thursday morning put students on high alert, and eventually led to two arrests.

Two students were outside for a class activity with their teacher around 10 a.m. and saw a car drive through the campus. One of the passengers was wearing a clown mask. The car was beeping its horn and blasting music, police said, which is what drew the students’ attention to it.

The school was put on a precautionary lockdown for about one hour “due to the nationwide attention regarding clown threats and hoaxes,” according to a statement from the district. Police investigated and searched for the car. Officers remained outside the school for the rest of the school day.

Parents were notified and no one was injured.

Police later identified the driver of the car as Mary Vega, 35, of New Britain and the passenger wearing the mask was identified as Johnston Cox, 39, of Windsor. Both turned themselves in to police and were charged with breach of peace in the second degree. They’re being held on $10,000 bond each.

City officials tell FOX 61 that a meeting will be held on Monday to discuss the issue of clown sightings, especially with Halloween just a few weeks away.