Stafford Police Arrest 7 Students For School Shooting Threats

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ - Stafford police have arrested seven male students from the Stafford Township Intermediate School for threatening to "shoot up the school," Officer Christopher M. Fritz said.

The males also stated that they were going to become active shooters. The boys - who ranged in age from 11 to 12 - were arrested on March 7 as the result of two separate incidents, he said.

In one incident, school officials were notified of the comments through an in-district electronic notification system in which students can make reports to school officials of harassment, intimidation and bullying instances. The alert came when students were being dismissed for the day.

School officials were able to intercept the student named in the report alleged to have been making the threats and remove him from his school bus.

Four of the students are 11 years, and three are 12 years of age.

The investigating officer is Patrolman Joseph Mrazek, who was assisted by Fritz.

Stafford Township Police Chief Thomas Dellane and Stafford Township School Superintendent George Chidiac said there is ZERO TOLERANCE for any threat of violence in Stafford schools, Fritz said.

"All reports will be fully investigated, and all threats will be prosecuted to the fullest extent," Fritz said.

Police and school administrators are taking proactive steps to let students know the consequence of making threats and urging students that if they see something, hear something, to say something, said Fritz.

Photo: Courtesy of the Stafford Township Police Department