UPDATE: 2 Students Removed From Howell School; Threat Discovered By Parent, Police Say

HOWELL, NJ -- (Update, 11:15 a.m.) Howell Township police say a concerned parent alerted authorities to a threat shared in a group text messaging chat that resulted in the removal of two students from Howell Middle School North on Tuesday.

The threat was reported to the school, which reported it to police at 8:30 a.m., Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said.

It was not a bomb threat or swatting, Antunez said, but just a threat of violence and it was not directed at the school.

“Nothing discriminatory,” he said. Just “a conversation between students that was discovered by a concerned parent.”

“The students involved have been removed from the school. There is no reason to believe there was a legitimate threat to students at any time,” he said.

Howell police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office are investigating, Antunez said.

(Update, 10 a.m.) Two students at Howell Middle School North have been “removed from the school” in the wake of a threat made during a text conversation Monday night, according to the Howell police chief.

Howell police responded to the school as students were arriving for Tuesday’s delayed opening to investigate the threat, which Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick described as “unsubstantiated.”

“The Howell Police Department and The Howell Public Schools are investigating a unsubstantiated threat made by a student during a text conversation with others last night,” Kudrick said.

Students and staff were brought to the school’s gymnasium while authorities investigated, he said, to ensure the safety of everyone.

At 10 a.m. Kudrick said in a post on Facebook that students and staff were resuming normal activities.

“Students are being returned to their classroom to resume normal activities. Two students have been removed from the school,” he said. “This was not a bomb threat but innuendos of possible violence on a group text last night.”

Kudrick also urged parents to not pull their children out of school in response to the incident.

“Please do not call the school or believe there’s an immediate need to remove your child,” he said. “If you feel a need to, we will not prohibit it, but if you need reassurance, my child goes here and he’s staying.”

EARLIER:

A threat to Howell Middle School North made by a student during a text message conversation Monday night is being investigated by Howell police and school authorities, the police chief said Tuesday morning.

Howell Chief Andrew Kudrick said the threat is unsubstantiated but authorities are taking precautions to ensure the safety of all students and staff.

“Students at Middle School North are being assembled temporarily in the gymnasium while this is investigated,” Kudrick said. “Several police officers and school officials are on scene.”

“Your kids are safe. We will post an update shortly. Please do not respond to the school,” he said.

This is a breaking news report and will be updated as more information becomes available. Click here for news alerts and newsletters from the Howell Patch.