UPDATE: Toms River North Bathroom-Threat Writer Will Face Criminal Charges: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ — (Updated, 11:30 a.m.) A pair of threatening messages written on a bathroom wall at Toms River High School North are being investigated as a criminal matter, Toms River police said Friday morning.

The second incident came to light when authorities addressed social media postings about a threat found scribbled on the wall.

The threat, a photo of which was posted to Facebook on Thursday, read, "Do not come to school 12/9 Boom Boom."

A parent of a Toms River North student posted a photo of the threatening message Thursday on Facebook, alerting other Toms River North parents to the situation. The post was shared more than 650 times by 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department, said police were alerted to the message Monday, and said there was a previous threatening message written on the same wall during the last week of November. He did not give details about that prior message.

"Although this is believed to be the actions of an irresponsible student that did not contemplate the full ramifications of their actions; the incident is being handled as a criminal matter," Stocco said. "In the times that we live in, all potential threats are taken seriously."

Stocco said specially trained K-9 units assigned by Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy conducted more than one safety search of the school on different days. On Friday,, additional police officers were on the campus to provide an extra layer of security for the students and staff, he said.

"This was done out of an abundance of caution and not as a result of us believing there was ever any credible threat," Stocco said.

"We are investigating several leads and urge any student with information as to the identity of the responsible student to contact the police department or school staff. This information will be kept strictly confidential," Stocco said.

“If the perpetrator is identified, the police department will be filing all appropriate criminal charges,” Polce Chief Mitchell Little said.

Toms River Schools Superintendent David Healy said any student proven to be responsible for this act will be subject to discipline "from suspension up to a recommendation to the Board of Education for expulsion.”

Stocco said the incidents also are very costly in terms of "wasted school and plice resources."

"This incident alone cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in assigned man-hours," Stocco said, "and parents could be held financially liable for reimbursement."

Earlier this year, two Toms River School students were arrested and charged for making social media threats during the creepy clown hoaxes, Stocco said.

"We hope to have that same level of success in putting an end to the fear generated by thoughtless students," Stocco said.

The fear was enough that some parents kept their kids home.

Shaunaly Anderson Higgins, whose son attends Toms River North and who posted the photo of the threatening message, said she kept her son home Friday.

"I have to err on the side of caution," Higgins said. "Not that today is really any different than any other day but if God forbid, something did actually happen, how could I, as a mother, ever forgive myself?"

She said she posted the information about the threat "because I take threats very serious in today's society especially when it concerns our children."

"We have ALL learned the importance of... 'IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING,' " she said in her post, which had been shared more than 650 times by 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Toms River North Principal Ed Keller addressed the issue via email, provided by police, to Toms River North parents and guardians Thursday:

"Dear Parents and Guardians: As some of you may be aware, there was a message written on the bathroom wall at High School North that was perceived to be a threat. We have been in communication with our local law enforcement agencies and after a full inspection, they have reported that there is no current threat to the safety and security of our students and faculty. We have long had protocols in place and our administration and safety officers will continue to remain vigilant in our schools in order to provide an extra layer of security.We take the safety of your children very seriously and will continue to monitor all locations while remaining in communication with law enforcement."

Higgins said her son "was quite apprehensive about going anyway and wanted to stay home. I know many parents who also made the decision not to send their kids in today as well. I just hope they find whomever wrote that and charge them with a terroristic threat, regardless if they're a minor or not."

"We must all be aware of any potential threat, serious or not," she said. "Nothing can be taken lightly these days."

"The only way to stop this is to somehow find out who did this and punish them to the full extent of the law. Publicly. Every time," said Ralph Hulsart of Toms River, who commented on Higgins' post and gave permission to republish the comment on the Patch.

It was unclear how many students stayed home Friday.

Photo courtesy of Shaunaly Anderson Higgins