26 Threats Made Against N.J. Schools Tuesday, Authorities Say

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story said 26 schools in New Jersey were threatened. Nine school districts in New Jersey received a total of 26 threats, officials have clarified.

By Kara Seymour and Dan Hubbard:

New Jersey schools in nine towns were subject to 26 threats of violence Tuesday, Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino said during an afternoon press conference.

Threats were reported in Garfield, Englewood, Teaneck, Bergenfield, Hackensack, Tenafly, Leonia, Clifton, and Sayerville.

The threatening calls were traced to Bakersfield, California, officials said. It is not clear if the person who made the calls was in that location, however.

The calls, which came from a robotic, computer-generated voice, threatened violence in the form of shootings and bombs, including threats against law enforcement.

High schools in the following districts were targeted: Hackensack, Bergenfield, Fair Lawn, Englewood, Teaneck, Leonia, Tenafly, and Garfield. Teaneck Middle School was also targeted, Saudino said.

The first call came in at 8:35 a.m. in Leonia, the Sheriff’s office said. By 1 p.m., all schools had been checked, authorities reported at the press conference.

The threats appear unsubstantiated; no injuries were reported.

However, several schools were evacuated and placed on lockdown while members of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and New Jersey State Police searched the schools using bomb sniffing dogs.

The FBI has offered assistance investigating the threats, Saudino said.

“This is a serious offense. Students can be affected. First responders can be affected,” said Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal, adding that those found responsible for the calls would be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Grewal said that incidents such as this leave ”digital footprints” for authorities to track.

“We will follow up on any leads,” Grewal said.

Photo: Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino