Increased Police At Warren Schools Due To TikTok Challenge

WARREN, NJ — In response to a potentially threatening TikTok challenge that has been spreading across the country, the Warren Township School District wants parents to know they were aware of the situation.

The TikTok challenge encouraged students to threaten gun violence at school on Dec. 17.

"You may have seen social media postings alleging a general threat of gun violence against all schools in the United States on Dec. 17. In consultation with the Warren Police Department and the New Jersey State Police, we have found no credibility of this threat to any of our schools," wrote Superintendent Dr. Matthew A. Mingle in a letter to the community.

"While we have no reason to believe there is any credible threat, we will have increased police presence in and around our schools tomorrow in order to help everyone feel more at ease," said Mingle.

Mingle also asked that any parent or student or teacher report anything unusual or anything they see on social media to the police right away. Read More: TikTok December 17 Challenge Has Police, Schools On High Alert

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our students about the seriousness and resulting consequences of making any kind of threat as well as the safe and appropriate use of social media," said Mingle. "We encourage all students to speak with any adult on our staff if they see or hear something so that immediate action can be taken. We also encourage parents to engage with their children’s social media and text messaging presence and to reiterate appropriate behavior."

Multiple law-enforcement agencies say they are monitoring reports of the challenge, which has encouraged students to threaten gun violence at their schools on Friday. The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the state Department of Education's Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning alerted New Jersey districts to the Dec. 17 challenge, and several notified parents, students and staff while also taking steps to increase security.

The threat is a generic one to schools across the country, officials in several districts said as they tried to reassure families that students and staff will be safe.

The Tik Tok challenge comes on the heels of the ninth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Michigan school shooting on Nov. 30 that killed four students and injured several others.

The Dec. 17 challenge is a part of a larger series of school-based TikTok challenges targeted at young kids.

In September, a TikTok challenge encouraged students to vandalize the schools, assault staff and show their private parts.

These challenges also come after two weeks of threats and rumors against New Jersey schools, including some that involved firearms. Read more: 11 NJ School Threats, Some Involving Guns, In Past 2 Weeks

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