New Bedford Police: No Lockdown at Howland Place

NEW BEDFORD — Despite rumors to the contrary, a busy complex in New Bedford's South End was never under lockdown this afternoon, according to New Bedford Police.

Reports came over the police scanner around 12:45 p.m. of the Howland Place building, located at 651 Orchard Street in New Bedford, being placed on lockdown after a person brought a firearm into the Department of Children and Families office in Suite 400 of the building.

According to a New Bedford Police Department spokeswoman, there was no lockdown that the department was aware of. She says reports of a person entering the building with a gun proved unfounded, as the person in question had another item that had been mistaken for a firearm.