Arrest at Meriden Mall involving report of armed customer prompts lockdown at nearby school

An arrest at Meriden Mall on Tuesday for an incident involving the report of a gun led to a lockdown at a nearby elementary school.

Officers responded to the mall at about 12:27 p.m. after security staff called the police and reported a customer who “made mention” of being armed with a gun, according to the Meriden Police Department. Police located the 65-year-old suspect, finding that he was not in possession of a firearm.

The man was charged, but Meriden police said his identity is being withheld because he did not have any identification on him.

The incident prompted a lockdown at John Barry Elementary School located at 124 Columbia St. The lockdown was lifted once police said they were able to determine there was no threat to the public.