False Active Shooter Alerts Trigger Lock Downs in Norwell

Two false active shooter alerts at buildings on Longwater Drive in Norwell prompted police response and precautionary lock downs on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

The first incident occurred at 1:39 PM when police were dispatched to 120 Longwater Drive, the headquarters of NVNA and Hospice, for a possible active shooter. The report came after a message played over the building's intercom system. Employees reported neither seeing any suspicious individuals nor hearing sounds of an active shooter. Police searched the building and surrounding area, finding no threat. According to police, it is suspected that an employee accidentally selected the code silver alert in the preprogrammed system that alerted the building and Police Department of an active shooter.

At 2:04 PM, a second alert was reported at 104 Longwater Drive. Police say this report came from someone with knowledge of the first active shooter report. Officers again searched the building and surrounding area, finding no threat.

NVNA and Hospice later confirmed on social media that "an active shooter alert was accidentally activated at the NVNA and Hospice headquarters in Norwell. This active shooter alert was entirely made in error."

As a precaution, area schools were notified and placed in lock down. Norwell School Superintendent Matthew Keegan informed parents that Cole School was placed in "teach and lock mode" at around 2:10 PM "due to an abundance of caution related to police activity on Longwater Drive." Other buildings and buses continued with normal schedules. Police provided an all-clear at 2:45 PM.

Both incidents are currently under investigation by police.