NJ town arrests 7 pre-teens after ‘school shooting’ threats

STAFFORD — The number of New Jersey students who have been arrested and charged with making terroristic threats or hoaxes against their schools continues to climb.

On Wednesday, police arrested three 12-year-old and four 11-year-old boys after two school shooting scares following the Parkland, Florida, massacre this month.

Police said school officials learned about one of the threats through an electronic system that students can use to report bullying and harassment complaints. The alert, which officials received at the end of the school day, named a student who allegedly had been making the threats and officials took him off the school bus, police said.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, Police Chief Thomas Dellane and schools Superintendent George Chidiac said authorities have "ZERO TOLERANCE for any threat of violence in our schools or anywhere else. All reports will be fully investigated, and all threats will be prosecuted to the fullest extent."

Hoaxes and scares have followed other high-profile school shootings in the past. But the recent rash of incidents in New Jersey this month has been notable for the number of criminal and juvenile charges filed against the students and the publicity the arrests have received.

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-359-5348 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.