The Long Night on Campus: How Curry College Endured an Overnight Shelter-in-Place

A quiet Thursday evening at Curry College, as evenings often are, was suddenly, dramatically upended. And honestly, it transformed into a night of unexpected tension and uncertainty for hundreds of students and staff. Imagine, if you will, getting an alert – not just any alert, but a 'shelter-in-place' order – knowing that something, or someone, was deemed a potential threat to your safety. It’s the kind of directive that freezes you in your tracks, isn't it?

Around 10:45 PM on Thursday, the directive came down: a shelter-in-place order for the Milton campus. The reason? A serious police investigation, sparked by reports of a potentially armed individual right there, on college grounds. Instantly, the campus atmosphere shifted from typical student life to one of cautious apprehension. Students were told to do the essentials: lock their doors, stay away from windows, and, crucially, await further instructions. For hours, the student body, along with faculty and staff, found themselves in an unnerving limbo, tucked away in their rooms, classrooms, or offices, wondering what exactly was unfolding just outside their doors.

Milton Police Department officers, quickly joined by Massachusetts State Police, descended upon the campus. Their mission was clear, albeit daunting: to thoroughly search the area, to investigate the initial report, and to, in truth, keep everyone safe. You could almost feel the collective holding of breath across the campus as the hours ticked by, a silent vigil maintained by those confined within and the law enforcement working tirelessly without.

Then, in the early hours of Friday morning, around 2:40 AM, a critical development emerged. Police took one individual into custody – though, significantly, this happened off-campus. This detail, for once, offered a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. What's more, investigators determined that the individual apprehended was not, in fact, armed, and thankfully, no active threat to the campus or its inhabitants was ultimately found. A profound sigh of relief, surely, for everyone.

The long night, finally, drew to a close just before 7 AM. Around 6:40 AM, to be precise, Milton Police issued the coveted 'all clear,' officially lifting the shelter-in-place order. The campus, which had been under a tight lockdown for nearly eight hours, was finally able to breathe again. As a direct result of the overnight events, classes for Friday morning were, quite understandably, canceled. This allowed students and faculty alike a much-needed moment to decompress and return to a sense of normalcy after such an intense, unexpected ordeal. It’s a stark reminder, really, of how quickly peace can be disturbed, and how vital swift, coordinated responses truly are.