Minor Claimed Bomb Was In College Dorm In Ocean County, Authorities Say

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A minor from Hazlet has been arrested after claiming there was a bomb in a dorm room at Georgian Court University, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.

The minor, who has been charged with terroristic threats and causing false public alarm, is from Hazlet. The prosecutor's office declined to release his age or any other information citing state law regarding juveniles charged with criminal offenses.

Georgian Court officials notified Lakewood police about 2:45 p.m. on Thursday that they had received a call saying there was a bomb in a dorm room and the university's buildings were evacuated, authorities said.

Lakewood police and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit checked and cleared each building at the university before allowing people to return to them, authorities said.

Investigators from the Gangs/Intelligence/Homeland Security Unit of the prosecutor's office along with Lakewood detectives and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security determined the phone call came from a minor residing in Hazlet, the prosecutor's office said.

The minor is being held in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, the prosecutor's office said.

"I want to thank all of the law enforcement officers that responded quickly and worked through the night," Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. "This was a great example of multiple law enforcement agencies working cohesively to ensure the campus was safe and to ultimately locate this juvenile and take him into custody."

Billhimer said Hazlet police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office assisted in the investigation.