Knife scare at Rider University dorm sends campus into lockdown

🚨Police say a Rider student with a knife threatened others in a residence hall

🚨The suspect, 21-year-old Alex Theis of Delran, was found in the university library

🚨Junior Alex Theis faces assault and terroristic threat charges

LAWRENCE (Mercer) — Rider University went on lockdown Monday afternoon after police say a student with a knife threatened several people during a confrontation inside a campus residence hall.

Interim Lawrence Police Chief Kevin Reading said Rider University Public Safety was called to the Poyda Hall residence hall around 1:50 p.m. The campus was ordered to shelter-in-place while township police searched for a suspect identified as Alex Theis, 21, of Delran.

Theis was found in the university library. He was charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and various weapons offenses. Reading did not disclose what led to the dorm confrontation.

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Suspect a Rider theater major

Poyda Hall is home to first-year students and returning and graduate students, according to the school's website. It can house 259 students.

The student newspaper The Rider News said Theis is a junior majoring in Acting for Television, Film and Theater, according to the program for the October performance of "Lost Girl" by Rider's School of Communication, Media and Performing Arts.

Rider University officials did not comment on the incident.

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