Social media video didn't contain an immediate threat to Nutley schools, police say

NUTLEY — While schools in the township closed Friday because of a security threat, a video posted on Instagram depicting gun violence didn't appear to pose an immediate danger to any school within the district, police said.

The video in question, however, prompted a swift response from police and the school district Thursday night, which decided to cancel classes and after-school activities Friday.

Gerard Teresi, who graduated from Nutley High School in 1981, said his son, a sophomore at the high school, showed him a video Thursday on a township student's Instagram account that showed a school and someone shooting a gun.

"So right then and there, we called the authorities and made them aware of the situation and my son wasn’t going to school no matter what after that anyway," Teresi said. “It’s a shame that we got to have kids possibly who have problems and now they see the shooting down in Florida and it’s going to be a copycat shooting based on that. It’s a sin. It really is.”

The Record reviewed the video that Teresi watched and a Google image search revealed the building in the video is an elementary school in Stamford, Connecticut.

Township police said they had spoken to those involved in the Instagram video.

"We are still in the process of reviewing all digital media devices and content related to social media," the Nutley Police said in a statement. "Once again, the facts uncovered in the investigation up to this point indicate that there does not appear to be an imminent threat to any of the schools or the public at this time."

Police did not reveal the names or ages of anyone involved in the incident.

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A K-9 Unit from the Essex County Sheriff's Department searched the high school, middle school and all the elementary schools within the district Friday, according to Nutley Police. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the incident with township police.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is not actively involved in the investigation surrounding the potential threat against the Nutley School District, authorities said. FBI Public Affairs Specialist Doreen Holder said the agency is always there to assist with an investigation.

Other school districts in the state have dealt with potential threats following a Parkland, Florida shooting Wednesday which left 17 people dead. Jackson Township in Ocean County received an Instagram threat that was reported to police. Jackson Police said on their Facebook page there was no known credible threat.

Monroe Township schools in Middlesex County had similar threats to Jackson. They also increased security at the schools and said there is no credible threat against the school.

The Miami Herald reported at least a dozen schools around the country have been threatened with violence since the shooting Wednesday. None of the schools listed by the Herald closed because of the threats but they did search backpacks, restricted access to school campuses and increased police presence.

"This hits home," Nutley Public Affairs Commissioner and Fox News commentator Steven Rogers said. "I've addressed this issue nationally. Now it's personal."

Rogers said immediate changes for security in schools must be made.

"In lieu of what happened in Nutley, there's a national cry from parents to do something," said the retired Nutley police lieutenant and recent New Jersey Republican gubernatorial primary candidate. "I'm all for having officers in the schools, not in uniform, but well-armed and trained. It's a necessity now."

Officers in the schools also provide an open dialogue between police and students that could prevent trouble before it happens, added Rogers, who is also a former Nutley Board of Education member. However, he stopped short of recommending that school administrators and teachers have weapons at school.

Seventh-grader Ben Coulson said his mom woke him up to let him know that school was canceled.

"I was like why Nutley? It’s small-town New Jersey, but I guess it’s the world we live in," said Coulson, a Nutley middle school student.

Maria Vermeer, a Nutley resident whose children attended the schools during the 1970s, expressed shock at the threat.

“Who would have thought kids would not be safe in schools,” she said. “My kids went to school here and they wouldn’t have to worry. The schools should be more safe. It’s a scary time.”

"I agreed, when Nutley Board President Daniel Carnicella called to err on the side of caution," board member Fred Scalera said. "There are a lot of things going on in the world. The police did the right thing taking precautions."

The Phoenix Center in Nutley, a school for students with autism, multiple disabilities, behavioral and intellectual disabilities, also closed because of the threat.

"We are in constant contact with the Nutley Schools Superintendent are taking all the precautions to ensure the safety of all school children," according to Nutley Police.

"Nutley was a classic model that every town in the country should follow," Rogers said. "They took immediate action and did what they needed to do."

Nutley resident Debbie Dathe agreed it was better to take precautions.

“Precaution is always better to be safe than sorry,” Dathe said. “I wondered why there was no security guards this morning.”

With the district's winter break coming next week, all schools will reopen for students on Feb. 26, according to a district statement. District offices will reopen Tuesday, after the Presidents Day holiday.

The closing Friday moved the District 10 wrestling to neighboring Belleville High School.

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Nutley Public Schools Superintendent Julie Glazer assured parents "the safety and security of all our students and staff in the Nutley Public Schools remains our first priority."

But one high school student said Friday he doesn't want to attend school once the winter break concludes.

"Going to school next week?" asked Charles Searle, 16. "No, I don't."

Staff writers Joshua Jongsma and John Connolly contributed to this article.