Police called on teen standing outside Malden school dressed as plague doctor

No weapons were found on the 14-year-old, but school officials issued a no trespass order after the incident.

School officials called the police when a teenager showed up at a school in Malden in a plague doctor costume Tuesday morning.

In an email to families, Forestdale School officials called the incident, which involved a 14-year-old, “bizarre and unsettling” for the school community.

“We made the call to the Malden Police Department as soon as we were made aware and had visual contact,” the school, which serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade, wrote in an email sent Wednesday morning.

Pictures obtained by 7 News showed the teen dressed in all black, with a beaked plague doctor mask and what appeared to be a large cross necklace.

The teenager apparently walked through the neighborhood near the school before standing on the sidewalk in front of Forestdale, the Malden Police Department said in a statement.

When officers arrived on scene, they interviewed the teen, who “readily removed their mask” and identified themselves. There were no weapons on them, and police determined that they were not a threat to students or staff at the time.

“We then accompanied the minor back to their legal guardian, and have directed the juvenile towards the appropriate support resources,” police said.

The school issued a No Trespass Order to the teen out of “an abundance of caution.”

The incident was resolved within an hour, the school said.

“We take all matters related to student and staff safety seriously and are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment for all of our Malden Public Schools,” police said.