A Gloucester Township middle school was briefly evacuated Tuesday morning after an unfounded bomb threat that resulted in the arrest of a juvenile.
The School Resource Officer at Ann Mullen Middle School was told at about 9 a.m. that a note found in a bathroom indicated a bomb. According to the township police, the school was evacuated and pre-school students there were temporarily relocated to Timber Creek High School. a routine move in an emergency.
K-9 officers from the Cherry Hill police department then conducted interior and exterior searches and no devices were found. The students were back in school shortly after the evacuation to finish the school day and there was no further threat to the townshiip.
One juvenile suffered a minor medical emergency during the evacuation and was treated by EMS responders without incident. The arrested juvenile was charged with false public alarms, a second-degree offense. The student’s name has not been released because he or she is a minor.
“The name of the student will probably never be released …” said township Community Relations Officer Lt. Don Gansky. “It’s a sensitive subject when it comes to protecting identity.”
Gloucester Township police were assisted in the investigation by the Camden County Sheriff’s Department, township fire station 85 and Inspira EMS. Gansky said the investigation is now in the hands of the Camden County Prosecutors Office.
“Once we evaluate the situation, we contact the state,” he explained, “and then it goes over to the county (prosecutor’s) office. They are now the ones responsible for prosecuting the (accused) …”
More information on the incident is expected in the coming weeks.
