Gun Joke Sparked Threats Of Multi-School Brawl: Sparta Police

SPARTA, NJ — An online joke about suicide, made in the wake of a local suicide pact, prompted students from multiple northern New Jersey schools to arrange a large-scale brawl, Sparta Police Lt. John Lamon told Patch.

So far, no fight has happened and it might have been called off entirely after the schools addressed the issue, Lamon said, but police are planning an increased security presence at football games this weekend as a precautionary measure.

The conflict began when a High Point Regional High School student posted a photo to Instagram with a BB gun against his head, threatening to hurt himself.

The post, apparently a joke, angered students from neighboring high schools, including Pope John XXIII, Sparta High School, Dover High School and Morris Catholic High School. Students commented angrily on the picture, believing it to be an insensitive response to a rash of youth suicides in the area.

Online comments escalated into plans for a fight with students from different schools, Lamon told Patch. He described it as "several students from different schools," not "schools going to war with each other."

There have been no direct threats of violence, and no arrests made, Lamon told Patch. "No 'I'm going to kill you,' no 'I'm going to burn your house down.'" Aside from teen chatter, no laws have been broken," Lamon said. He said police were acting proactively.

The suicide joke touched a nerve in a community that has been rocked by a series of suicides recently, Lamon said. An Andover teen recently died by suicide, and another three High Point graduates overdosed at High Point State Park in what appeared to be a suicide pact, Lamon said. One of those three died, and another remains in critical condition.

Sparta High School officials posted a notice on their website warning parents about the potential fight.

"Students and parents of those we believed to be directly involved were contacted and informed of the situation yesterday afternoon. We would like to alert all parents to be aware of their children's activities, and discuss the dangers of being involved, as well as the danger of using social media to threaten others with violence," Sparta school officials wrote.

Officials from High Point Regional High School also shared a note on their website about the incident, saying police in all affected school districts were notified about the post.

"While the investigation does not indicate any cause for alarm, High Point Regional High School will continue to display vigilance at all school and after school activities to ensure the safety of the school community and visitors," officials there said.

Lamon said the proliferation of social media made it easier for students from multiple different high schools to interact with each other, creating wider-spread conflicts.

"Sometimes, you really need to get off the computer," Lamon said.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741.

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