Updated: Belleville, Nutley Police Patrol Near Schools After Texas Shooting

BELLEVILLE-NUTLEY, NJ — Schools in Belleville and Nutley saw a police presence on Wednesday in light of the tragic shooting at a Texas elementary school, district officials said.

The number of children killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde has risen to at least 19, according to reports. The gunman – who was killed in the shooting – also shot his grandmother before entering the school, according to reports. Read More: Texas School Shooting: 19 Children Killed In Uvalde

New Jersey Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin said that New Jersey State Police will ramp up their presence at the Garden State schools where troopers are the primary law enforcement. All 21 county prosecutors have also been instructed to increase local police presence at schools in their jurisdictions.

Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted that the measure comes despite "no credible threats" in New Jersey. Read More: More Police To Patrol NJ Schools After Texas Shooting, AG Says

The Nutley Public School District posted the following message on its website after Tuesday's shooting:

"We are all learning details of this afternoon's horrific event at an elementary school in Texas. The Nutley Public School [District] will provide extra support structures over the next several days to help students and staff during this time. Any student or staff member who needs assistance, processing these challenging feelings, should reach out to the school counseling department or building principal. Also, the district continues to assess and evaluate all security protocols throughout all our schools. While there are no threats to our community, there will be an increased police presence at schools tomorrow, in Nutley and across the state. We would like to thank our emergency service professionals, especially the Nutley Police Department and the Nutley Fire Department, for their support in ensuring we have appropriate safety measures in place."

"As always, if you see something, please say something," administrators added. "Safety and security are our highest priorities and we look forward to working together. Tonight, our hearts go out to the families and the Texas community."

Meanwhile, Belleville Mayor Michael Melham noted that schools in that town would also see police in the area on Wednesday.

Melham wrote:

"While no threat currently exists, the Belleville NJ Police Department will be increasing their patrols and presence around our schools at the start of day and dismissal. Hoping this brings some comfort and relief to students, teachers, administrators and parents. At last night’s council meeting, we paused for a moment of silence in memory of the children and teachers who lost their lives in Uvalde, Texas."

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