Contractor At Middletown North Charged After Threatening Shooting

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A contractor working at Middletown High School North was arrested Friday morning, after police said he got into an altercation with another worker, and then school security officers, who he threatened to shoot.

However, there were no guns involved in the incident, and police say Middletown students were never at risk.

The fight broke out today, Friday, March 1, at approximately 10:25 a.m., Middletown police said. They received a call from the school of a disorderly subject at North; the man had gotten into a verbal altercation with another contract worker.

The worker, Richard D. Thompson Jr., 35, of Middletown, was subsequently asked to leave the school building, but he refused. School security officers spoke to Thompson and again asked him to leave. Thompson then became argumentative with the security officers. During the verbal dispute, Thompson reportedly told the security staff that he was going to return to the campus and shoot them, police said.

Thompson then left the school grounds on foot. Multiple police officers immediately responded to the incident.

Thompson was quickly located on Swartzel Drive by Middletown Police Lt. Neal Hansen. Thompson was uncooperative and refused to comply with Lt. Hansen’s orders, police said. A brief physical struggle ensued before Thompson was subdued and taken into custody.

At no time was there any threat to the safety of the students or other staff at the school.

Thompson was charged with three counts of terroristic threats for his actions with the school security officers and one count of resisting arrest. Police were able to determine that Thompson was not armed and does not own any firearms.

He was processed and released on a summons complaint.