Schools in Union County, NJ towns put on lockdown

🔴 The schools were placed on lockdown around noon

Schools three Union County towns were put on shelter-in-place Monday morning following the discovery of a handgun at Union Catholic High School.

Scotch Plains Police Chief Jeffrey Briel said administrators called 911 after "school personnel" found the gun around 10:45 a.m. The school on Martine Avenue in Scotch Plains was placed on lockdown along with all schools in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district and the weapon removed from the building.

There were no indications of a threat or harm to the school, students or personnel and the school is considered safe and secure, according to Briel.

The chief did not disclose where in the building the handgun was found.

Notifying the community

After posting the shelter-in-place on their Facebook page Fanwood police in a subsequent post at 1:45 p.m. said the police activity had ended and the lockdown would be lifted soon.

An email from Westfield Public Schools obtained by TAP into Westfield said they were also under a shelter-in-place but normal activity continued within the school. It had been lifted before 2 p.m. and dismissal would proceed as normal. There would also be an increased police presence at all schools.

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