Update: Ferry Passenger Fitting Boston Suspect's Description Triggers False Alarm

Update: 1:37 p.m.: Southold police said a passenger on the Cross Sound Ferry fitting the description of a suspect wanted in the Boston bombings sparked a false alarm.

According to Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley, a report came in from a Cross Sound Ferry captain who said a crewman had said that someone on the boat matched the description of the Boston suspect wanted in the recent bombings.

Passengers had also told crew members that the individual fit the description, Flatley said. Cross Sound Ferry officials, Flatley said, took the matter seriously and called security and police. 

Southold police contacted the Suffolk County emergency services unit. When the boat docked, the individual, who was a walk on, walked off the boat and headed to the snack bar area to wait for a ride. 

The county's emergency services team "secured him" and separated his backpack, Flatley said, X-raying the bag. "His bag came out clear," he said.

The suspect was taken to Southold Town police headquarters for fingerprinting. "We would be remiss if we didn't bring him in," Flatley said, adding, "We don't have any reason to believe he's not who he says he is. But he does bear a fairly close resemblance." 

The event, Flatley said, "was definitely a false alarm."

Flatley credited the Cross Sound Ferry. "They did an excellent job of making sure people onboard were safe. Everyone did things the right way -- this is the way the system's supposed to work."
At least six Suffolk County police vehicles, two parks units, four Southold town police cars and one special unit were witnessed at the scene.

Original story: Police and emergency vehicles rushed to Orient Point on Friday.

Southold Town police confirmed that an investigation is underway but could not give any details or specifics.

According to New London Patch, the Connecticut State Police, assisted by the New London Police Department, converged on the Cross Sound Ferry terminal this morning, but cleared the scene soon after.

The state police's tactical team arrived on scene in an armored vehicle and met with people identified by employees as managers at the ferry. Vehicles were allowed to board the ferry to Long Island after police cleared the scene. Officers were at the terminal for about half an hour.

"It didn't come through us. The State Police came down and we assisted them," said Capt. Todd Bergeson of the NLPD.

Bergeson said he could not comment on what actions police took at the terminal.

"Nobody's in any danger," he added.

Police in Connecticut have been on alert today as police pursue two suspects who are believed to be responsible for Monday's bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon that killed three and injured more than 170 people.

According to the Watertown Patch, police are searching for 19-year-old Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev of Cambridge. The other suspect in the bombings, Tsarnaev's older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was killed in an overnight shootout with police. During the course of the search for the suspects, a 26-year-old MIT police officer was killed and a 33-year-old transit officer was wounded. 

The Connecticut State Police put out an alert for a vehicle that may have been driven by Dzhokhar, but later rescinded it after the vehicle was found in Boston. Norwalk police this morning searched an Acela Amtrak train from Boston, which includes a stop in New London.

"Everything's going up to Boston. That may have been related to that," said a woman who answered the phone at the public information office of the Connecticut State Police in response to an inquiry about the New London search.

Brianna Lang, of Dayville, said she saw the police arrive while waiting to bring her vehicle on board the ferry.

"It was a little scary, that's for sure," she said. "But it feels good that they're actually here looking."

Richard Malone, superintendent of the Oysterponds Union Free School District, said the school was never under lockdown Friday. "I received direction from the Southold town police to bring all the children into the building and to keep them inside. I was told not to let anyone leave, or let anyone into the building," he said.

Students, Malone said, "were fine," and continued with their normal day. By 1:00 p.m. Malone said the kids were allowed back onto the playground. "It was not a lockdown," he said.

Calls to the Cross Sound Ferry for comment were not immediately returned.