NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Two Monroe College students, both Canadians and members of the Mustangs baseball team, picked the wrong day to try squirrel hunting in the City Park woods.
The Barnard Early Childhood Center in New Rochelle was put on Lockdown/Lockout after staff reported two men with a long gun in the woods near the school playground and hearing shots fired.
The sound was described as a “popping” noise.
Barnard Principal Joanna Genovese put the school on Lockdown/Lockout at 1:40 p.m.
New Rochelle police responded to a call from Genovese of a man with a gun in the woods near the school.
Police responded quickly – surrounding the area from City Park to Barnard and clearing Skidelsky Field. Hundreds of Monroe students were in City Park for a “Homecoming” soccer game at City Park against ASA College. According to witnesses, police swarmed the field, getting everyone out of the facility into the parking lot behind buses.
New Rochelle police apprehended two young men in the playground area with what turned out to be a BB gun. They were taken into custody by New Rochelle police.
There was no word on the condition of the squirrels.
The lockout was lifted at 2:15 p.m.
Manuel Bouffard – 2013 Mustangs Baseball
Guillaume Gingras – 2013 Mustangs Baseball
The pair were later identified as Manuel Boffard, 21, and Guillaume Gingras, 20, were each charged with disorderly conduct, a violation. They were released on $500 bail. They are scheduled to appear in New Rochelle City Court on Monday.
The two students told police they had parked their truck at City Park and walked up into the woods. Police quickly located a red truck with Quebec license plates at the parking lot at City Park.
The incident is the second in as many days. Yesterday, schools throughout the District were put on lockdown after reports of shots fired. In that case, police said the noise was fireworks being exploded in the backyard of a house near New Rochelle High School.