Man in tactical gear arrested in Hyde Park school scare
Daniel Prospero faces six felony weapons charges as parents demand answers over the district’s decision not to lock down the school or immediately notify families.
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A man at the center of a school security scare in Dutchess County is now facing felony weapons charges, amid growing criticism of how the Hyde Park Central School District handled the incident.
Daniel Prospero, 54, was arrested Tuesday after being released from a psychiatric hospital — eight days after the incident at Haviland Middle School.
The incident happened around 1:25 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, as middle school students were outside at the end of their lunch period.
According to the district, school monitors spotted Prospero riding a bicycle through a field behind the school while wearing camouflage. They approached him, and he rode away. Staff alerted the school resource officer, who contacted Hyde Park police.
Authorities say Prospero was found a short time later off campus, wearing a bullet-resistant vest and armed with a knife and two rifle magazines, one containing ammunition. They have yet to disclose why Prospero was on school grounds or what his intentions may have been.
Despite extensive searches of the area and Prospero’s home, police say no firearm was recovered. Prospero now faces six felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two misdemeanors — fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal trespass.
Meanwhile, parents packed a school board meeting last week, demanding answers about why the school wasn’t placed on lockdown and why families weren’t notified until after 7 p.m. that night.
“The situation was grossly mishandled. Where was the principal, the assistant principal? I think there’s a larger issue here,” said parent Jennifer Miller.
Another parent, Jeremy Pink, criticized the district’s priorities.
“You thought harder for battery-powered buses than you are for school safety right now,” Pink told board members.
An online petition calling for Superintendent Dr. Pedro Roman’s resignation has also gathered nearly 200 signatures.
Roman said staff saw no weapons on campus, which is why a lockdown wasn’t ordered. He also acknowledged the need for improvements.
“This incident has really forced us to reevaluate the way that we conduct business and that is unfortunate, but we are grateful that no one was hurt,” Roman said.
The district says it is updating safety procedures, including bringing students inside and implementing a secure lockout when unauthorized individuals are spotted on school grounds while children are outside. Officials are also reviewing security staffing, school perimeters and parent communication.
The district announced this week that Nancy Harris, principal of Ralph R. Smith Elementary School, on the grounds of Haviland Middle School, abruptly resigned this week.
In a letter to families, district officials announced Harris’ resignation was effective immediately but did not provide a reason for her departure. The district said Assistant Superintendent Melissa Lawson, a former principal at the elementary school, would provide leadership support during the transition.
It’s unclear whether Harris’ resignation is connected to the school security incident.
Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public. Prospero was released from court with instructions to report for electronic monitoring.
