3 Teens Arrested After School Social Media Threat In Newark (UPDATED)

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police arrested three teenagers on Thursday in the wake of a social media threat involving the public school district, authorities said.

The Newark Public Safety Department released the following statement about the situation on Thursday morning:

“Newark police have been advised of a threat aimed at [the Newark Public School District] and posted on social media. Newark police are providing additional coverage to schools and are working with its law enforcement partners and the Newark Board of Education during this active investigation.”

Police issued an update around 4 p.m., reporting that three juveniles have been arrested in connection with the threat, two males and a female – all 13-years-old.

The suspects each face charges of 3rd-degree terroristic threats, 4th-degree cyber harassment, 3rd-degree creating a false public alarm, and disorderly person (harassment).

Police are actively seeking a fourth juvenile male in connection with this incident, authorities said.

"I am pleased that our detectives moved expeditiously through this investigation to identify and apprehend these suspects," Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said.

"Although each suspect is quite young, this incident presents an opportunity for everyone—regardless of their age—to understand the severity of posting a violent threat online," Fragé said. "We take every threat involving the safety of our schools, neighborhoods, and buildings very seriously and, as our detectives proved today, each suspect will be identified and apprehended."

Newark isn’t the only public school district in Essex County to be disrupted by a social media threat this week. A social media post regarding a potential threat at Belleville Middle School circulated last weekend – ultimately being declared “not credible” by local authorities. See Related: Online School Shooting Threats Spike Across NJ (What To Know)

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