Brick Police, School Officials On Alert Amid TikTok Gun Threat

BRICK, NJ — Brick Township School District officials and the Brick Township Police Department said officials are aware and monitoring social media as a TikTok challenge suggesting school shootings nationwide on Friday has gained attention across New Jersey and the country.

The district sent a statement to parents and staff and shared it to its website, noting the TikTok Dec. 17 challenge was a generic threat, and that no Brick Township school has been targeted.

Local authorities were notified by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the New Jersey Regional Operations & Intelligence Center, the district said.

The TikTok incident comes a week after Brick Township police charged a Lake Riviera Middle School student who was overheard making threats. Read more: Brick Police Investigate Lake Riviera Middle School Threat

That threat was one of several in the last two weeks against New Jersey schools, including some that involved firearms. Read more: 11 NJ School Threats, Some Involving Guns, In Past 2 Weeks

The TikTok challenge comes on the heels of the ninth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Michigan school shooting on Nov. 30 that killed four students and injured several others.

"These specific TikTok threats should continue to be reported in accordance with existing protocols," officials said. "Please note that these messages should not be shared across social media platforms."

Parents, students and community members are urged to share tips and information through the WeTip link on the Brick schools website.

"Please remember if you see something or hear something, say something," the district notice said.

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