UPDATED: Groton Police investigate disturbance at Poquonnock Plains Park
May 11—GROTON — Town Police said they are investigating a disturbance Saturday afternoon at Poquonnock Plains Park in which two people got into a physical altercation.
Witnesses saw one of the individuals leave and retrieve from his vehicle what they believed to be two firearms, police said. No gun shots were fired, police said.
Police Chief Louis J. Fusaro Jr. said the emergency communications center received multiple 911 calls just after 1 p.m. Saturday about a report of man with a gun at Poquonnock Plains Park. Additional 911 calls reported gun shots were fired.
At the time, there was a youth soccer tournament taking place at the park at 150 Fort Hill Road and several hundred people were there, he said.
Fusaro said there was an altercation on the sidelines of one the games between two parents.
One of the men "returned to his vehicle and retrieved what was believed by onlookers to be two firearms, which caused panic throughout the crowd and sent hundreds of players and spectators fleeing from the park in all directions," according to the release.
Police said they confirmed that no shots were fired at the park.
Police said in the release that two people were arrested and "are believed to be the only persons involved in the incident." Police are continuing to investigate and will release their names later.
Police are asking people to avoid the area.
Fusaro said the police department appreciates the public's concern in letting them know and also thanks other departments in the area for responding.
Groton Police responded to the scene within a minute of the 911 calls, and an off-duty officer arrived earlier. The departments that responded include City of Groton Police, Groton Long Point Police, state police, Ledyard Police, Stonington Police, Norwich Police, Mohegan Tribal Police, Mashantucket Police, New London Police, University of Connecticut Police, Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police, and Willimantic Police, according to the release.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the incident to call police at (860) 441-6712.
