Several Schools across New Jersey and Massachusetts Receive Threats

Several Schools across New Jersey and Massachusetts Receive Threats

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Jan 19, 2016

The FBI has joined a police investigation into bomb threats sent to about a dozen schools in Massachusetts and nine more in New Jersey. Many schools in the northern states have been put on lockdown, evacuated or participated in early release of faculty and students.

The threats came to high schools in Leonia, Tenafly, Teaneck, Garfield, Fair Lawn, Hackensack, Englewood and Bergenfield, according to Bergen County Sheriff’s spokesman Michael Saudino, as cited by the local media. Clifton High School, in Passaic County, also received a bomb threat via voicemail.

All the schools from several areas spanning across New Jersey and Mass. all received bomb threats around 8:50 a.m., because of the similarities police believe the phoned in threats to be automated.

The latest threats come after a series of threats to at least nine schools on Friday, Jan. 15. While the law enforcement officials scrambled, all of the threats turned out not to be real.

The FBI is now overseeing whoever is responsible for making the calls, while State Police and local police are handling the immediate response, according to David Procopio, a State Police spokesman.

“The [State Police] Bomb Squad and local police departments are handling the individual call outs to the schools as they come in,’’ Procopio said. “As for the overarching investigation into the source or sources of the series of threats, the FBI Boston is taking the lead with State Police from the Commonwealth [Law Enforcement] Fusion Center assisting.’’

While there are no indication that the threats are real, schools and law enforcement officials are taking all steps necessary to procure safety for students and facility of implicated campuses.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more information.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.