Monmouth University Student Shuts Down Campus Briefly With Fake Gun

FREEHOLD - The Monmouth County Prosecutor has filed armed robbery charges against an 18-year-old Monmouth University student after he approached two women with what appeared to be a handgun and demanded their cell phones, Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

Keith L. Williams, 18, Baltimore, Maryland, a student at the University has been charged with first-degree armed robbery in connection with the incident that resulted in the campus being put in lockdown, Gramiccioni said.

The incident occurred around 9:17 p.m. on Tuesday, when a man in dark clothing approached two women students who walking on campus and demanded their cell phones, the prosecutor said.

"The girls attempted to walk away and the individual produced what appeared to be a handgun
and pointed it in their direction," Gramiccioni said. "The females then began to sprint in the opposite direction of the armed individual, who ultimately also fled the area, prior to obtaining any property from the females."

One of the women called 911 to alert Monmouth University Police.

"Based upon the fact that an armed suspect was believed to be on campus, police and University personnel put a lockdown in place to ensure the safety of the students and anyone else that might have been in danger," the prosecutor said.

Williams was found in a campus dormitory. Police recovered the weapon, which was determined to be an imitation handgun that resembled a black, semiautomatic handgun, Gramiccioni said.

Monmouth County Superior Court Richard W. English set Williams' bail at $100,000 cash, and issued a no victim contact order.

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