School Gunman Was Ex-Cop, Police Say

MYFOXNY.COM/AP - The South Orangetown Middle School in Blauvelt, N.Y., was locked down Tuesday after a confrontation between an armed man, who authorities say is a former cop, and a school official -- all sparked by a letter about the swine flu.

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The school district superintendent wrestled the man -- a parent of a student at the school -- to the ground and took his gun away.

Cops identified the suspect as Peter Cocker, 37, of Tappan. He is a former police officer.

A letter from the school district about swine flu may have sparked the incident, police said.

Police in Rockland County say no shots were fired and the students are "100 percent safe."

Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner says the man confronted the superintendent about a "minor" issue. The superintendent then talked to the man and managed to wrest the gun from him. The superintendent kept the man pinned until cops arrived.

A SWAT team, paramedics and an armored vehicle surrounded the school until authorities arrested the man.

Cocker was arraigned Tuesday on six felony charges, including kidnapping, criminal use of a firearm, burglary and coercion. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Dominic Crispino told the judge Cocker threatened the superintendent with "deadly physical force" and threatened to shoot him "in the heart."

Cocker told Justice Paul Phinney his revolver wasn't loaded and he never intended to hurt anyone. He asked the judge to let him go home to his family, but the judge ordered him held without bail.

South Orangetown Middle School is about 20 miles north of New York City.