Altercation at Amherst Regional Middle School prompts shelter-in-place, ongoing investigation
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – A physical altercation involving multiple students at Amherst Regional Middle School on Thursday afternoon led to injuries among staff members, requiring police intervention and prompting a shelter-in-place.
City of Easthampton announces new police chief
According to a statement from Superintendent Dr. Xi of the Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools, the incident occurred on Thursday, May 1st, during school hours and escalated when caregivers of the students involved arrived on campus and became part of the conflict.
School officials issued a shelter-in-place order and contacted the Amherst Police Department. Officers worked alongside school staff to de-escalate the situation and ensure the safety of students and employees.
'This kind of behavior is deeply concerning and not reflective of the safe, respectful, and student-centered environment we strive to create each day,' Dr. Xi said in a message to families and the school community.
Details on the extent of the injuries and the number of individuals involved have not yet been released. The school district, in collaboration with local law enforcement, has launched an ongoing investigation into the events leading up to and during the incident. Dr. Xi emphasized that students' and staff safety remains a top priority and that the district is taking the matter seriously. 'We are currently working with staff and local authorities to fully understand the circumstances and will share additional information as we are able,' she said.
Dr. Xi called on the broader community to reflect on how conflicts are managed, especially in front of children. 'Our children are watching us—how we handle conflict, how we treat one another, and how we show up in difficult moments,' she wrote. 'It's on all of us to model respectful and productive ways to engage, even when emotions are high.'
In response to the incident, the school district plans to introduce a Caregiver Code of Conduct in the coming weeks. The document will outline expectations for how families and school staff can work together constructively, particularly on school property.
The school district has encouraged families with concerns to contact the Amherst Regional Middle School administrative team or the superintendent's office directly.
22News will continue to update this story as soon as new information becomes available.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lawrence man sentenced for leading major drug trafficking ring
BOSTON (WWLP) – A man from Lawrence has been sentenced for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, fentanyl analogues and cocaine. Mass. man pleads guilty to gun, drug, and machinegun conversion device trafficking The Department of Justice states that 35-year-old Joseph Correa was a target of a long-term investigation into a network of fentanyl and cocaine distributors that were based in and around Lawrence. The investigation revealed that Correa received fentanyl from local suppliers, and that he and co-defendants and brothers Jose Martinez and Luis Martinez regularly traveled to Puerto Rico to purchase wholesale quantities of cocaine, which they mailed to addresses in New England for redistribution in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Correa employed co-defendants and an uncharged co-conspirator to store and process drugs at their residences and to distribute drugs on behalf of Correa. Correa was regularly intercepted over court-authorized wiretaps that discussed the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine, and obtaining, possessing, and using firearms. He and co-defendant Mayi Rosario conspired to launder drug proceeds by using various financial transactions and purchases. During the investigation, fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, and drug proceeds were seized from Correa and his associates and packages mailed by or for Correa. On December 15, 2021, Correa was arrested in Caguas, Puerto Rico. During this time, Correa was holding a loaded firearm that had a Glock slide and a privately manufactured grip, which had been converted into a fully automatic weapon. In May of last year, Jose Martinez was sentenced to 90 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In February, Luis Martinez was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In August of last year, Rosario was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by one year of home detention and 26 months of supervised release. Correa was sentenced to 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty last year in November to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and other controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Underage drinking dangers during graduation season
LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) – It's graduation season for colleges and high schools, and that normally means graduation parties. Springfield man charged with DUI, wrong-way driving in Enfield While they are a celebration, they can also be dangerous when it comes to underage drinking. The Longmeadow Close Community Coalition has placed lawn signs around the high school to remind students and parents of the dangers of underage drinking. The coalition of Longmeadow for a drug-free community, or the close community, has placed lawn signs around the town, hoping to remind parents and teenagers of underage drinking. Ananda Lennox, Director of Close Community Coalition, told 22News, 'Across the nation, there is always a handful or sometimes more of teen deaths that happen around prom and graduation season. And it almost always inevitably involves alcohol and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.' Aside from the dangers of drinking and driving, there is also a law in place in 32 states, including Massachusetts, that holds a social host liable if something happens. James Winston, a Northampton Attorney, adds, 'It can be an adult or a minor who is in control of the premises who either furnishes directly or allows alcohol to be consumed on the premises.' But premises doesn't just mean a house or apartment, it can include a hotel room, a rented room in a restaurant, or a boat. Social hosts can face civil and or criminal charges. 'The consequences can be quite dire both civilly, where we see judgments for millions of dollars, and criminally, where up to a year in prison, pay a $2,000 fine, or both,' Winston adds. The coalition also has other initiatives year-round to help educate parents and others in the community, including the 'Safe Homes Network.' Lennox added, 'Parents can sign up for it, and they are just all in agreement that they are not going to allow underage drinking in their homes. If you know your kid is going to a party or get-together, you can look up a name and be like, 'Oh, that family signed the pledge, they are on the same side as I, so I can relax and not worry about them going off to socialize there.' Lennox said they also work to empower parents to make decisions if their child is not listening, such as not paying for their child's car insurance if they are not following their rules. Winston also said that parents or other social hosts shouldn't assume that if someone is involved in an accident under the social host, the homeowner's insurance will cover it. He said many homeowners' insurance policies won't cover it, as drinking under age is a criminal act. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mass. man pleads guilty to gun, drug, and machinegun conversion device trafficking
BOSTON (WWLP) – A Lowell man has pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking firearms, distributing thousands of methamphetamine pills disguised as Adderall, and selling illegal machinegun conversion devices known as 'switches.' Springfield man charged with DUI, wrong-way driving in Enfield Billy Chan, 20, pleaded guilty last Friday to four federal charges: Engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine Distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine Transfer and possession of a machinegun. Federal prosecutors said that between March and June 2023, Chan conducted five illegal sales to undercover law enforcement officers in Lowell. The transactions included three handguns, four machinegun conversion devices, and about 2,000 counterfeit pills made to resemble Adderall. Laboratory analysis confirmed the pills were homemade methamphetamine laced with caffeine. Chan allegedly worked with a co-conspirator affiliated with the Asian Boyz gang, a group that investigators say had a significant role in distributing methamphetamine pills throughout the Merrimack Valley region during 2023. The pills were widely marketed as Adderall, a prescription stimulant, but were illicitly manufactured and contained no pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. Authorities also documented a meeting in which Chan described manufacturing the machinegun conversion devices himself while working at a machine shop. He reportedly gave a cooperating source a demonstration on how to install the 'switches' and later sent a video showing a fully automatic pistol being fired into the air, writing in a message, 'I let my boys test the switch.' The case is being prosecuted as part of , a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at reducing gun violence and violent crime by enhancing coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement and community organizations. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
