Teacher Accused of Planting Ammo at School, Calling Police to Report It

By: Teresa Mull

A Massachusetts teacher allegedly planted a round of ammunition in the school at which he teaches, then called police to report finding the ammo, sending the school into lockdown for an hour.

WCVB reports:

During the lockdown, police and Southbridge High School staff reviewed video footage and saw [Alfred Purcell III, 57, ] removing the live round of ammunition from his pocket, dropping it on the floor and quickly leaving the area, police said.
About 10 minutes later, the video shows Purcell standing over the ammunition and taking a picture of it with a cellphone, police said.

Police said Purcell then used a school-issued portable radio to request assistance in the stairwell from the school administration and school resource officer.

Purcell reportedly admitted to planting the ammo and told police he did it “to prove to the school that they needed to get metal detectors.”

WSFA reports, however:

Investigators said Purcell admitted he planted the bullet to prove the school needs to install metal detectors.

Purcell’s defense attorney, however, said there was no such admission, but instead simply a misunderstanding, and that Purcell did not plant the bullet in the stairwell, WBZ reports.

“Purcell was charged with two counts of the unlawful possession of ammunition, two counts of carrying ammunition on school grounds, disturbing a school assembly, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace,” WCVB reports.

Teresa Mull is editor of Gunpowder Magazine. Contact her at [email protected].