Threats of bombs, mass shootings against 9 NJ schools Tuesday

High schools in at least nine north Jersey school districts received threats Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

"Early this morning, school officials from Clifton High School received a bomb threat via voicemail," Clifton police said via Facebook Tuesday — later confirming similar threats had been received in several nearby districts. "The message, which was apparently recorded sometime throughout the night, indicated a non-specific threat to the school district involving the placement of a bomb in one of the schools, as well as a secondary threat of a 'mass shooting' - both of which the caller indicated would take place sometime today."

Police said school officials immediately forwarded the to police, who were dispatched to the high school, but have found "no indication of any validity to the threat.

Precautions were being taken, but schools in Clifton weren't being closed.

The police department later said was stepping up security at all districts schools — "as school remains in session, there will be a police presence, including plain clothes detectives and K-9 units active within the school district. Again, these actions are being taken strictly as a precautionary measure."

Clifton was far from alone in the incident. According to a report by NJ Advance Media, a spokesman for the Bergen County Sheriff confirmed threats against schools in Leonia, Tenafly, Teaneck, Garfield, Fair Lawn, Hackensack, Englewood and Bergenfield.

Anthony Cureton, the spokesman, told NJ Advance Media police were investigating whether the threats were related and whether the calls were automated.

The report also quoted Fair Lawn police saying students from the high school in that town had been moved to a middle school. In Leonia, students were reportedly sheltering in place.