Schools
No Credible Threats On Morris County Schools After TikTok Trend: Law Enforcement
Local law enforcement increased their presence Friday after a TikTok trend vaguely warned of nationwide school violence for Friday.
MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Following a TikTok trend vaguely warning of potential school violence nationwide for Friday, no credible threats have been made against Morris County schools, according to a joint statement from county law enforcement leaders.
Several school districts around Morris County and the nation increased police presences Friday as a precaution. County law enforcement encouraged anyone with information of potential threats to school safety to contact their local police department and/or school resource officer.
Anyone seeking to contact Morris County Prosecutor’s Office may do so at 973-285-6200 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office at 973-285-6610.
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Many law-enforcement agencies around the nation said they are monitoring reports of the TikTok "challenge," which has encouraged students to threaten gun violence at their schools on Friday. The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the state Department of Education's Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning alerted New Jersey districts to the Dec. 17 challenge, and several notified parents, students and staff while also taking steps to increase security.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had no information indicating specific, credible threats to schools, the agency said Friday morning.
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DHS is aware of public reporting that suggests possible threats to schools on December 17, 2021. DHS does not have any information indicating any specific, credible threats to schools but recommends communities remain alert.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 17, 2021
The threat is a generic one to schools across the country, officials in several districts said as they tried to reassure families that students and staff will be safe.
The Tik Tok challenge comes on the heels of the ninth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Michigan school shooting on Nov. 30 that killed four students and injured several others.
It also comes after two weeks of threats and rumors against New Jersey schools, including some that involved firearms. Read more: 11 NJ School Threats, Some Involving Guns, In Past 2 Weeks
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