Police were called to investigate possible threats in the Bloomfield and Little Falls school districts.
Police in the Bloomfield and Little Falls school districts have investigated questionable online posts over the past few days – including a photo of a student with a gun – but found that neither posed a threat to safety, authorities said.
In Bloomfield, police were called after a high school student posted a photo of himself holding a gun with a caption that “made a derogatory and inflammatory reference to the tragedy in South Florida,” according to Public Safety Director Samual DeMaio.
On Monday, DeMaio said the photo was taken outside of New Jersey at a hunting camp and that the rifle in the photo is currently locked in a safe at the camp.
“The hunting rifle is owned by a relative and is a legally purchased weapon stored at the out-of-state hunting camp and used by the adult relative for the purpose of hunting,” DeMaio said. “I will also emphasize that at no time was a threat to shoot at a school ever made.”
The Bloomfield schools and BPD are aware of a picture posted by a student posing with a gun. The police investigated and there is no threat
— Bloomfield H.S. (@07003BHS) February 20, 2018
In Little Falls, police were called over the weekend when district officials learned of a “digital exchange between students that contained potentially concerning content,” schools Superintendent Tracey Marinelli said in an email to parents on Monday.
Marinelli did not say when the exchange occurred.
“There was an investigation and there was never a threat to our school or students,” Marinelli said in an email to NJ Advance Media on Tuesday.
The two investigations were the latest over school safety in New Jersey since 17 people were killed at a high school in Parkland, Florida.
Last Thursday, Nutley schools Superintendent Julie Glazer ordered schools closed for several days after a video was posted to Instagram appearing to show local students firing a rifle and handgun.
Nutley police investigated and said they found no credible threat to safety. Glazer on Tuesday declined to comment on the investigation.
The incident prompted 16 parents to call for armed guards to be posted at all seven of Nutley’s public schools.
Tonight, the district administration became aware of a security threat. The police are actively investigating. As it gets later in the evening, we have decided to err on the side of safety and close schools tomorrow, February 16, 2018. Read more: https://t.co/zh3ojZvW3A
— NutleyPSD (@NutleySchoolsNJ) February 16, 2018
In Mahwah, Mayor Bill Laforet called for armed guards at township schools after district officials learned of a threat made several months ago by an eighth-grade student.
“We have all witnessed far too many horrific acts of violence against school children throughout our nation,” Laforet said in a statement on Saturday. “As the mayor, I am committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to protect our students and district staff when attending Mahwah Township schools.”
In Somerset County, a 14-year-old boy made threats against Franklin Township High School on social media late Thursday, police said.
Following an investigation, police found no imminent danger. The Franklin Township student was charged with making a terroristic threat and was suspended from school, Superintendent John Ravally said.
Brooklawn Middle School in Parsippany was under lockdown for 35 minutes Friday afternoon after a student found a bullet in the hallway, police said. Cops swept the school for possible threats before dismissing students at 3 p.m.
A threatening social media post regarding Carl Sandburg Middle School was brought to the attention of Old Bridge Police Thursday night, authorities said. After an investigation, no credible threat was found. However, police have increased their presence at the school, officials said.
In Jackson, police went to the home of a student after learning the student had a list of people he wanted to harm. However, police and school officials said the threat was unsubstantiated.
Fake threats also circulated in Monroe Townships in both Middlesex and Gloucester counties, causing confusion in both towns. None of the threats were credible, police said.
Screen grab from a video posted to Instagram shows a person shooting a handgun at a firing range. The video also contains a still photo of Nutley High School and students in a classroom. (Instagram)
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.