NEW: Officials Elaborate On 'Item' That Caused Livingston School Lockdowns

LIVINGSTON, NJ — After two schools in Livingston, NJ were locked down on Wednesday morning due to an investigation into an "item associated with a weapon" outside, the police chief and superintendent of schools elaborated Wednesday afternoon.

They said that the item was "accidentally kicked out of a car" but that there was never any danger to students.

They said police are investigating to find out why the item was in the car.

A spokesperson for the district said that as of Wednesday, they would not elaborate about what the item was.

See the new letter from Superintendent Matthew Block and Police Chief Gary Marshuetz below. Prior reporting follows.

The following is a joint statement from the Superintendent of Schools and the Chief of the Livingston Police Department:

Dear Livingston Community,

The safety and security of our schools are always our top priority, particularly In the face of
everything that we see happening in the world. While we cannot share every detail of an ongoing
police investigation, we wanted to share some additional information about this morning's events.

Based on our investigation today it appears that an item associated with a weapon was accidentally kicked out of a car this morning at Heritage Middle School. A custodian discovered the item as he picked up trash outside. The item was turned in to the administration, who immediately called the Livingston Police Department (LPD), and initiated a lockdown in the school.

The police arrived at HMS quickly and in large numbers to ensure the school was clear and safe.

The initial investigation led police to lockdown LHS to ensure that all potential leads were exhausted.

The lockdowns allowed for a thorough and complete sweep of our school buildings. The LPD, as
well as our students, staff, and administrators, did everything they have been trained to do in an
emergency and handled the situation in an exemplary manner per our protocols and processes.
There was no evidence of intent to bring a weapon or weapon accessory into the school.

The police are currently investigating why the item was in the car initially, and they are questioning those individuals who were driving in that particular car this morning. Despite what is being posted online, there was NEVER a gun in the school, there was NEVER a gun in a student's backpack, and NEVER any weapon or ammunition on school property. There was NEVER anactual physical threat to our schools.
Thank you as always for your partnership.
Sincerely,
Gary Marshuetz, Livingston Police Chief
Dr. Block, Livingston Public Schools Superinten

Earlier Information

Police said in a social media message around 10:30 a.m. that the lockdown had been lifted.

Block issued this statement Wednesday afternoon:

"At approximately 8:30 a.m. at Heritage Middle School, a custodian found an item that is associated with a weapon outside of school on the driveway drop-off zone. The Livingston Police Department responded immediately and placed the school on lockdown. Working with the LPD, the owner of the item was quickly identified and the LPD has assured us there was never a weapon in the building.

"As an additional precaution, Livingston High School was placed in lockdown by the LPD as part of the investigation.

"Again, there was never a dangerous item in the building, and no one was hurt. The day is proceeding at all schools as normal. The strong and complete reaction by the LPD was done out of an abundance of caution. It is in times like this that we recognize the importance of practicing our safety protocols and we are grateful for the partnership and collaboration with the LPD.
Thank you to the LPD for their immediate response and diligence."

Both Livingston High School and Heritage Middle School were affected.

Parents on social media praised the investigation, but also said they wished they had more information. "Many students sent text messages to their parents that they were scared," wrote a parent, a sentiment recently expressed by parents in other districts when lockdowns happened.

The lockdown also came the day after a school in Maplewood was locked down in the morning due to an "irate parent." The day before that, a Jersey City school was locked down when arguing parents allegedly displayed weapons.

Recent Investigations

In late January, a man was arrested for stealing a school bus from Livingston. Investigators found a journal in a home he'd allegedly broken into, containing writings against the police and Jewish people.

The full police statement on Wednesday morning said: "There is an active investigation involving both Livingston High School and Heritage Middle School. Both schools were placed on lockdown as a result. The lockdowns have been released and the individuals involved were identified and are no longer on school grounds. There is no longer any threat to students or staff. Please look for a message from Dr. Block for further information."

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