No Charges After Columbia High School Lockdown

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - The choice to lockdown Columbia High School Wednesday to investigate a potential fight is being praised by Maplewood Police Chief James DeVaul.

"In my experience and from what I know, the decision to place the school on lockdown was made based on the premise that there was a threat of violence and that the persons involved may already have been inside the school," DeVaul told Patch. "I would have made the same decision."

The "Code Yellow" lockdown was initiated after students in the school alerted security guards that there might be a fight among students, according to officials.

"The goal is to limit the movement of students and staff within the building," DeVaul said of the Code Yellow, which has students shelter-in-place inside their classrooms. "It allows security and police to quickly gain an understanding of what has occurred and the facts known at the time."

The lockdown lasted approximate 45 minutes and DeVaul noted that police worked quickly and collaboratively to locate and identify the persons involved.

"We are working closely with CHS Staff to resolve the matter and ensure the safety of entire CHS community," he said.

No charges have been filed and no arrests have been made, DeVaul said.

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