Threatening note is what led to school lockdown, say Milford police

MILFORD, Del. - More information has been released about the threats issued to the Milford school district late last week.

Milford police say 59-year old Thomas Caffrey was "visibly agitated" when he delivered a threatening note to the district's administrative offices last Thursday.

The police department and the school district held a press conference to share the details Monday afternoon.

The note, accompanied by a building key and a district access key card, had numerous threatening phrases, including "You have been warned" and "If my husband gets upset, there are not enough police or national guard to stop him." 

Police say that Caffrey is a former employee of the district. 

In response to the note, police say Milford High School and Milford Central Academy implemented a low-level lockdown. This decision was influenced by the fact that Caffrey had previously worked at these schools.

Later that day, police say a person matching Caffrey's description was observed banging on the side doors of Milford Central Academy. This caused both Milford Central Academy and Milford High to go into full lockdown. However, upon investigation, it was determined that this individual was not Caffrey. The police have not clarified whether they are searching for additional individuals. Police say all the students were evacuated safely and without incident. 

Milford Police Chief Cecilia Ashe acknowledged the valid concerns of parents and staff, emphasizing her understanding as a parent herself.

"However, as a law enforcement officer, we have to continue to balance the overall public safety and integrity of investigations that we will continue to prosecute and bring people to justice when they do these actions," she said. 

But despite the ongoing search for Caffrey, Milford schools reopened Monday.

Superintendent Dr. Bridget Amory sought to reassure parents about the safety of the schools.

"We encourage that you keep your students in school," she said. "Based on our work with law enforcement, we can confirm our district is safe and secure."

Amory also emphasized that there will be more counseling options for students and staff throughout the week.

While a lot of details were shared at Monday's press conference, Milford police and the school district did not take any questions from the press.

Caffrey s facing four counts of harassment and is still at large. Police are actively looking for him. They suspect he is driving a grey 2012 Nissan Titan pickup truck with Delaware plates and the number C484831 license plate, or a vanity tag with the number VF6493. Anyone with information on Caffrey's whereabouts are asked to contact Milford police