Students Arrested For Threats At 2 South Jersey Schools: Police

Two students have been charged with making threats directed at their individual schools. The alleged threats were made earlier this week in West Deptford and Vineland, according to authorities in those municipalities.

A 15-year-old has been arrested for posting a message online that included threats to “shoot up West Deptford High School,” according to the police department. However, police have determined that there is no threat to the school’s students.

The West Deptford High School administration alerted police as to the threat at about 10 a.m. Monday morning, according to the West Deptford Police Department. The message was posted on Snapchat, and police quickly began an investigation.

After learning the teen’s identity, the teenager was arrested. Police determined there was no threat, and said on Friday that the teen will be charged accordingly.

“The West Deptford Police Department takes any threats directed toward our schools or community seriously,” police said on Friday. “We will not tolerate any such threats and will investigate the matters thoroughly and charge to the fullest extent of the law.

“In regards to school safety, we continue to work closely with our school administration and staff to ensure our students have a safe learning environment. We encourage parents to have discussions with their children about bringing threatening social media posts or any other threats to the the attention of school administration or the police.”

“Please know that we will not tolerate any social media messages at all that threatens anyone in our school system,” West Deptford High School Principal Dr. Brian C. Gismondi said in a prepared statement. “We will press charges and work with law enforcement to make sure words do have consequences. I am so proud of our student body for coming directly to us so that the school administration and police could take immediate action. Please remind your children, as always, to continue to report any social media posts they feel are threatening in nature or are questionable, and West Deptford High School will address these as swiftly as we did today.”

In the other incident, a 12-year-old boy has been charged with making threats that he would “shoot up” Anthony Rossi Intermediate School in Vineland, according to the Vineland Police Department. He was processed and released pending further court action.

He claimed he was making a joke, and police were unable to find a weapon, according to nj.com.

The boy told other students he was going to bring a gun to school and shoot, according to DailyJournal.com. Students told administrators what the boy said and police were called to the school around 9:20 a.m. The boy claimed he was joking.

See related: Man Threatened To “Shoot Up” South Jersey High School: Prosecutor