School Threat Rumors Not Credible: Prosecutor's Office

A day after rumors of a threat to Toms River Intermediate School South made the rounds on social media and were debunked by Beachwood police, schools in neighboring Manchester and Berkeley township were dealing with similar issues.

And the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office had two messages: To parents, stop listening to the rumors and instead listen to the fact that law enforcement has said they are not credible; and to those making the hoaxes, you can and will be prosecuted.

"There is no credible threat," said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor's office. "This (repeating rumors that have been deemed not credible) is serving no constructive purpose."

Beachwood police and the Toms River school district both issued information Thursday evening saying numerous social media postings had been investigated and there was no credible basis to the rumored threat.

On Friday, however, the rumors were fueled again by a call Thursday night to a funeral home in Berkeley of an indirect threat, according to Berkeley police. The threat did not name any specific school or location and Berkeley police said it was investigated through the night and was deemed to be not credible.

"Although the threat was made to a Berkeley Township business, it had no direct relation to any Berkeley Township or Central Regional School District building. The threat was investigated back to an adjoining town," Berkeley police said.

In Manchester, the social media rumors prompted Manchester Township Superintendent David Trethaway to send out a robocall to parents, assuring them that the rumors had been investigated by Manchester police and that there was no credible threat to any Manchester schools.

Central Regional parents posting on social media said they had received robocalls from their district as well.

Despite that, parents continued to debate the issue on social media Friday, some saying they had given their children permission to leave school early, others debating about picking kids up at school.

Della Fave said parents need to trust that law enforcement is doing its job.

"Read the posts that are on the investigating departments' pages," he said. "Do not depend on Facebook (rumors) for your facts."

"There is no credible threat," he said.

In March, there were similar fears after a student at Toms River Intermediate East posted a photo to Instagram of himself with a handgun. Police investigated that incident and determined the teen did not have access to weapons; school district officials, without specifically addressing the student or the incident, said any time there is an issue with a student where there is a threat, the student is kept out of school until officials are satisfied that it is safe for the student to return to school.

Della Fave reminded that parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing on social media, and said kids need to understand this is not a joke. Earlier this week, Della Fave had shared a message from the FBI about hoax threats to schools and other public places, which have been on the rise in the wake of the shootings at high schools in Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas, in recent months.

"Safety is paramount, and the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners always respond to each threat," the FBI said, and hoaxes, which consume time and resources, can have devastating consequences.

"Hoax threats are not a joke, and they can have devastating consequences —both for the public and for the perpetrators," the FBI said. "Issuing a threat — even over social media, via text message, or through e-mail — is a federal crime."

Those who post or send these threats can receive up to five years in federal prison, or they can face state or local charges. There have been children prosecuted in Ocean County in the recent past in social media hoax threats during the creepy clown craze spurred by the movie "It;" one of the Toms River girls arrested was 12 years old.

"With a thoughtless remark on social media, young people risk starting out their adult lives in prison and forever being labeled a felon," the FBI said.

"The Bureau and its law enforcement partners take each threat seriously. We investigate and fully analyze each threat to determine its credibility,” said FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich. “Hoax threats disrupt school, waste limited law enforcement resources, and put first responders in unnecessary danger."

"It’s not a joke; always think before you post," the FBI said.

What should you do? The FBI said the following:

• Don’t ever post or send any hoax threats online…period.
• If you are a target of an online threat, alert your local law enforcement immediately.
• If you see a threat of violence posted on social media, immediately contact local law enforcement or your local FBI office. Members of the public can always submit a tip to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
• Notify authorities but don’t share or forward the threat until law enforcement has had a chance to investigate—this can spread misinformation and cause panic.
• If you are a parent or family member, know that some young people post these threats online as a cry for attention or as a way to get revenge or exert control. Talk to your child about the proper outlet for their stress or other emotions, and explain the importance of responsible social media use and the consequences of posting hoax threats.

Image via Shutterstock / j_jeera