NY town puts police-in-school program after accidental gun discharge

HIGHLAND -- A upstate New York town that began assigning an armed police officer to guard a high school in the wake of the Connecticut school massacre has suspended the program after an officer accidentally discharged his pistol in a hallway while classes were in session.

Lt. James Janso of the Lloyd police department told media outlets Officer Sean McCutcheon will be suspended while an investigation continues.

McCutcheon was assigned to the high school in the Hudson Valley town of Highland in January. Janso said the program has been suspended for now.

There were no staff members or students nearby when the weapon went off just after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Nobody was hurt.

A message was left at a phone number listed in McCutcheon's name.

Lloyd is in Ulster County, 65 miles south of Albany. -- AP