School Intruder Charged After Entering Unlocked Door: Gloucester Township Police

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A man entered a South Jersey high school Monday through a door that was not latched properly, police said

The man, a former Timber Creek High School student, said he "wanted to volunteer to help with the track team," the Gloucester Township Police Chief said.

Chief David Harkins said the 31-year-old man was unarmed, but "acting erratically," and was carrying a bag of running shoes.

Police charged the man with fourth-degree criminal trespass, and arranged for his transport to a medical facility for a mental health investigation, Harkins said. Patch is not naming him.

Harkins sent out an update to the community on Friday, and said school officials "immediately" made repairs to the door in the rear of the school.

Harkins also said the Black Horse Pike Regional School District and Gloucester Township Police Department will review school security protocols "and will evaluate how we can make the school even safer."

Timber Creek High School, on Jarvis Road, serves students from the southern portion of Gloucester Township.

Surveillance camera footage showed the man entering the school through that rear door, which leads to a storage area for sports equipment, at 11:53 a.m. Monday.

"The door was closed, but it appears that the locking mechanism latch was not working properly," Harkins said.

A staff member stopped the man "within a minute," Chief David Harkins said. A Gloucester Township PD School Resource Office took the man into custody and out of the building.

The man said he was a former track athlete, and wanted to give the running shoes to the track team.

"An inspection of all other doors was conducted, and all doors were found to be secured and in proper working order," Harkins added.

"The safety of our school students is the highest priority for the Gloucester Township Police Department and for the staff of Timber Creek High School."