Cherry Hill East Open as Normal Tuesday Following Threat, Evacuation

Cherry Hill East will be open as normal Tuesday, as Cherry Hill Police and other law enforcement agencies declared the building safe after a search in response to a threatening message Monday, district Superintendent Maureen Reusche said in a brief statement.

Local police and firefighters, as well as sheriff's officers, responded to the school in response to the unspecified threat, which was written in one of the school's bathrooms, prompting a lockdown and an evacuation of the school early Monday afternoon.

The evacuation, effectively an early dismissal for the school, which was locked down about an hour before the regular end of the school day, was done as a precaution, Reusche said.

While the building was deemed safe, the investigation is ongoing, Reusche said, and no culprits have been found at this point.

“The responsible party or parties will face disciplinary measures and, perhaps, criminal charges,” she said. “If your child has any information about this threatening message, please encourage him or her to come forward. All information will be kept confidential.”

School counselors and staff will be available for support for any students who were affected by the threat, Reusche said.