3 Arrested For False Public Alarm At Absegami High School: Police

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, NJ — Three people have been arrested and charged with creating a false public alarm at Absegami High School Wednesday morning, Galloway Township Police said.

Galloway Police responded to the school at 10:16 a.m. for the report of a lockdown due to suspicious pictures posted on social media, police said Wednesday afternoon. The pictures showed students and weapons that were possibly inside the school.

Within minutes of their arrival, police located three people and detained them, with the cooperation of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District staff.

"All students and staff were fully cooperative while the investigation was ongoing," Galloway Township Police Chief Donna Higbee said in a statement. "Explosives trained K9 dogs from the Stockton University Police Department, the Hamilton Township Police Department, the Egg Harbor Township Police Department and the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Department cleared the school for any related weapons. The school was clear and no weapons were located on school property."

A 16-year-old girl identified as "K.S." and a 17-year-old boy identified as "J.A." were arrested and charged, police said.

No one was injured during the lockdown, which lasted about two hours, and no weapons were found on school property. However, shortly after the lockdown ended, 18-year-old Jil Patel, of Galloway, sent out a group text to students creating another false public alarm, police said. He was quickly arrested without incident on school property.

Anyone with information on the aforementioned incidents or any incidents at Absegami High School involving potential threats or harm to the school is asked to contact the Galloway Township Police Department at 609-652-3705, ext. 344. They can also contact police via anonymous confidential tip through its Facebook page and/or its Twitter account at @gallowaypd. They also receive tips from Atlantic County Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-TIPS.

Michelle Schunk, of Galloway Township, told The Press of Atlantic City she learned about the lockdown from her daughter. She said she was grateful that the school allows students to bring their cell phones to school, and that there was a lockdown and that everyone was safe, but also believes the school needs to take extra steps when it comes to security, such as instituting metal detectors.