School At Bergen County Mall Was Locked Down While Guard Looks For Gun: Cops

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A technical school at a Bergen County shopping center was briefly locked down on Wednesday as a security guard looks for his missing gun, police said.

Police in Paramus responded at 11:40 a.m. to Lincoln Technical Institute at the Bergen Town Center, said Chief Robert Guidetti. Officers were told that a security guard might have left his gun unattended and couldn't find it, the chief said.

The campus was briefly placed on lockdown while Paramus police conducted an initial investigation and secured the area.

"At this time, the campus remains active and fully operational," Guidetti said around 2:30 p.m. "There is no ongoing threat to students, staff, or the public."

Paramus Police detectives led by Det. Sgt. Mark Pinajian are continuing the investigation into the incident, he said. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

None of the other businesses at the mall were affected, he said.

Lincoln Tech is a career training institute offering classes in medical and technical fields to prepare students for certifications. The school is located at 240 Bergen Town Center.