Westmoreland Central School Under Lockdown

UPDATE: 01/20/2016 11:48am The Oneida County Sheriff's Office is updating the public on today's lockdown in the Westmoreland Central School District.

According to Chief Deputy Jonathan Owens,

"On today’s date, an empty gun holster was found on the ground in the parking lot of the Westmoreland Middle School. At approximately 9:20 am, a school employee found the empty holster and made proper notifications to the Deputy Sheriff assigned to the district as a School Resource Officer. As a result of finding the empty holster, the school was placed in lockdown as a precautionary measure until an investigation could be conducted. The School Resource Officer, two Sheriff’s Office K-9 Units and members of the Sheriff’s Road Patrol Division conducted an investigation and search of the building. It was learned that the holster in question had unintentionally fallen from a privately owned vehicle. Further investigation determined that at no time were there any firearms on the school property or crimes committed, nor were the students, faculty or staff in any type of danger and the lockdown has been lifted."

UPDATE: 01/20/2016 11:34am The lockdown has been lifted. More information is expected to be released by authorities within the hour.

UPDATE: 01/20/2016 11:22am The Oneida County Sheriff's Office is expected to release information "shortly" regarding the incident.

Original Story:

The Westmoreland Central School District is currently under a lockdown.

Police reportedly responded to the school just before 9:30 this morning.

We'll bring you more information as it becomes available.