December 16, 2012

Tons of officials swarm St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown Sunday following an anonymous threat that prompted an evacuation in the middle of a Mass. It was intended to honor the victims of Friday's shooting.

Hundreds of mourners—included family members of those killed in Friday's shooting—were forced to evacuate St. Rose of Lima Church Sunday because of a reported threat.

State police SWAT officers dressed in camoflauge and equipped with full auto rifles formed a loose perimeter around the church and a neighboring building — the parish religious education center — as other officers entered building. They remained inside for about 15 minutes and left without incident.

CNN is reporting that police gave the "all clear" signal that no threat was discovered. Newtown policedeclined to comment on the incident.

Newtown resident Nick Cavaliere said the church was packed with an estimated 200 people, with people lining the walls during a service. He said a "calm and orderly" evacuation took place when a priest entered and asked everyone to leave because of an anoymous threat.

"I wasn't nervous," said Newtown resident JR Yllanes who was attending a mass at the church. "You have all these people who are there to protect all of us."

http://newtown.patch.com/articles/reported-threat-prompts-evacuatio...