Student Suspended, Arrested for High School Hoax

A West Orange High School senior was arrested and suspended for claiming there was a gunman within the school and inciting false public alarm, authorities said.

The 17-year-old allegedly yelled "He's got a gun!" and "There's a shooter!" while in the boys' bathroom around 1:30 p.m. Friday, police said. Both claims, however, proved to be a hoax, according to the incident report.

Police officers, who heard the boy's shouts, were patrolling the school for added security following the in the boys' bathroom earlier that week.

The teen, who was not identified because he is a minor, is a special education student, according to Superintendent Dr. Anthony Cavanna.

"I think he heard rumors (about the graffiti) and thought he was joking around," Cavanna said.

The student was charged on a juvenile complaint for false public alarm and released to his parents, police said. It is not known if the student will face further disciplinary action by the school, Cavanna said.

School officials found graffiti that "vaguely referred to a threat" in two bathrooms last week.

Cavanna said both of the graffiti messages were written in the same handwriting and contained the same threat. Though the graffiti was believed to be a prank, he said the school was under alert Friday with the assistance of the police department.

"We asked for the police to send a message in case anybody was thinking of doing of anything," Cavanna said last week.

He said officials are continuing to investigate the incident.