No Bomb Found After Lazar School Threat

Police and fire officials were on the scene of the Robert R. Lazar Middle School Monday morning where officials said a written bomb threat was called in as the students were beginning lunch.

Montville Township Police Capt. Rudy Appelmann said the call about the threat came in just after 11 a.m. Police and school officials followed protocols, Appelman said, and as a precaution, the school was evacuated.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Fried said all of the students were safe after first being brought to the Montville Community Park and then Montville Township High School.

"The high school administration has been very cooperative," he said. 

Fried said he had received a call from Principal Sharon Carr about the threat and had immediately driven over to the school. Montville Township police and fire officials arrived on the scene and Fried said he wanted a thorough check of the building.

"Before I would allow any child back in the school, we wanted the building thoroughly searched," he said.

The Morris County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad and K-9 Unit also responded to the scene, in addition to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, Appelmann said. Ultimately, "nothing was found in the school," Appelmann said.

"The building was determined to be safe," he added.

Fried said he could not describe the nature of the threat as it could compromise police investigation. He sent a Honeywell alert to parents Monday afternoon. At the high school, Fried said the students were taken care of well.

Appelmann said students returned to the Lazar building before 3 p.m. Officers remained near the school as a precaution and Appelmann said there will be a police presence at the school on Tuesday. He also said he did not believe other schools in the district were affected by the threat.

"We believe it was an isolated incident," he said.

Appelmann said the threat remains under investigation.