Hoboken High School Lockdown Lifted, Officials Try To Quell Rumors

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken High School was put on lockdown Tuesday afternoon due to a "threat," but the city announced at 4:35 p.m. that the lockdown had been lifted.

The lockdown began after the school's main office received a phone call around 2:45 p.m. that, according to a message from the school, "may or may not be deemed a threat."

The city of Hoboken sent an alert around 3:30 p.m. saying, "Out of an abundance of caution, Hoboken High School remains in lockdown due to a Hoboken police investigation into a called-in threat."

The city had sent a prior message at 3:10 p.m. telling residents to avoid streets in a two-block radius around the school. Streets were closed from 7th Street to 10th Street and Willow Avenue to Adams Street.

But at 4:35 p.m., the city sent an alert saying the police had cleared the school and determined there is "no threat at this time."

The city said students were undergoing a "controlled dismissal" and roads would reopen soon.

Quelling Rumors

Schools Superintendent Christine Johnson sent a letter on Tuesday urging community members not to spread rumors.

"Please do not speculate or communicate information that has not been verified," Johnson wrote. "I can confidently report that no one has been hurt, there was not a shooting or an active shooter in the building or on any of our schools' property, and this incident did not involve ICE."

(ICE had made arrests near the Jersey City/Hoboken border earlier this month.)

Westfield High School had also gone into lockdown on Tuesday, but that incident was sparked by a message written on a desk, reports said.

Hoboken officials did not elaborate on the nature of the possible threat, but Patch will update this story when more information is available.