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Gun Sighting At City YMCA A False Alarm

A gun scare at the Jamestown Area YMCA on Monday turned out to be a false alarm.

According to Mark Eckendorf, CEO of the Jamestown Y, a member reported seeing an individual on the track wearing a peculiar-looking “gas mask” and carrying a gun.

At 2:30 p.m., nearly 100 people evacuated the building as it went into lockdown for about 30 minutes. Jamestown police responded to the 101 Fourth St. address and searched the premises.

Captain Robert F. Samuelson, division commander of the Jamestown Police Department, said the incident appears to be an “erroneous complaint.”

“No gun was found and no charges (were filed),” he said.

Eckendorf said the reported “gas mask” turned out to be a high altitude training mask. He added that the YMCA’s response was still justified.

“When you hear something like that, you don’t mess around,” he said. “We took it seriously, secured the kids and went into lockdown. You don’t take any chances.”

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