TikTok posts warning of shootings at schools Friday have sparked response from local districts, although police say the threats are not believed to be credible.
Pleasantville, Ventnor, and Egg Harbor, Galloway and Hamilton townships are among the local districts that sent alerts to parents assuring them they know about the viral trend. While many say they will increase police presence at the school, law enforcement agencies say they have seen nothing that makes them believe local schools are in danger.
“We have been communicating with the Egg Harbor Township Police Department and, although these threats are unsubstantiated at this time and there is no viable or credible threat to students or staff, we will have police presence (Friday) morning at our schools as a precaution,” read an email to township parents. “As always, we take the health and safety of our school community as our number one priority, and after consulting with law enforcement we will be open tomorrow on our regular schedule.”
Ventnor Police Captain Joe Fussner said that, “although we have not found any of these current threats credible to our specific school district, the Ventnor City Police Department is monitoring these events and working closely with county and state officials. We take the safety of our school children and staff seriously and will provide an increased police presence in and around our school.”
Pleasantville police met with school district official “to collaborate and form a response to the information provided by the New Jersey State Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning regarding these threats,” Deputy Chief James Williams said, stressing that Pleasantville’s schools are not directly target.
Pleasantville schools will be among those with an increased police presence.
“It is recommended that parents/guardians monitor your children’s use of social media,” Williams added.
The trend comes in a week when the area saw several schools deal with their own threats. None turned out to be founded.
North Wildwood police were called Thursday just after 8 a.m., when a staff member reported a suspicious male in the area of the St. Simeon’s/Glenwood Avenue Elementary Early Childhood Annex at 25th and Central avenues.
As a precaution, the North Wildwood and Wildwood school districts and Wildwood Catholic Academy sheltered in place.
The incident was investigated by North Wildwood and Wildwood police, who found and spoke with the subject, police said. Further investigation determined charges were not warranted.
Once it was determined there was no safety hazard, the shelter in place was lifted at about 8:35 a.m.
A threat of a schools shooting at “HHS” posted on Snapchat was investigated in several Atlantic County school districts. It was eventually linked to Hightstown High School.
Ocean City High School dismissed its students early Tuesday after a threat there.
In all those cases, school officials and law enforcement lauded students for coming forward with what they saw
