Gloucester Co. School Goes On Lockdown After Receiving Threat, Police Say

MONROE TOWNSHIP, GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — A threat was received at Williamstown High School in the Monroe Township School District on Friday morning, according to police.

The high school principal received the threat — which contained specific names of persons not employed by the Monroe Township School District — via email shortly after 6:30 a.m. Friday, according to authorities.

The threat does not appear to have originated within New Jersey, authorities said.

There were roughly 30 students to 50 students already inside the school when the threat was received, according to authorities.

The high school went into lockdown immediately after receiving the threat and directed incoming buses to stay away from the school, authorities said.

The high school and all the other schools in the Monroe Township School District were closed Friday as a "precautionary measure" and to allow the Monroe Township Police Department, Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office and FBI to conduct their investigation.

The Monroe Township Police Department, Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office and FBI were all still investigating the threat as of mid-Friday afternoon, according to authorities.

"We are also working with the Monroe Township School district to ensure that our students and staff are safe," the Monroe Township Police Department said.

Anyone with any information about the threat was asked to call the Monroe Township Police Department at 856-728-0800 or its anonymous tipline at 856-875-2940.

The Monroe Township Police Department also asked residents not to discuss the case on internet platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

"Social media is not the correct platform to circulate information so innocent people are not falsely accused," the Monroe Township Police Department said.

"Parents, teachers and students also need to understand that spreading gossip, rumors and hearsay on social media wastes countless hours investigating misinformation, the police department continued. " This takes time away from real problems, harms the learning environment and creates unnecessary alarm."

Friday's threat was one of several incidents that have occurred in South Jersey in the past seven days, according to authorities.

The Winslow Township Police Department announced on Friday it was looking into a report that some people who work at Winslow Township High School were threatened. Although the police department noted that the credibility of the threats was not determined by late afternoon Friday, it was "taking the proper precautions to ensure the safety of the students and staff of the Winslow Township School District."

On Tuesday, the Monroe Township Police Department said on it "thoroughly" investigated a possible threat to the schools and concluded students and staff were not in danger at that time.

On May 27, the Woodbury Heights and Woodbury City police departments announced that they were "aware of potential threats of violence at the Saint Margaret’s Carnival" that evening and the following day. The threats were deemed "not credible," the police departments said.

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