Charges have been filed against at least 16 young people and one teacher for alleged threats against schools in New Jersey since a Valentine's Day shooting claimed the lives of 17 people at a high school in Florida two weeks ago.

"This is not unusual," Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino told reporters on Tuesday at press conference to confirm details of four such arrests in his own county. "In the case of mass shootings, there is usually a spike in such calls for up to 30 days following such a tragedy."

Joseph Rafanello (left) and Michael Schmitt. (Police photo)

Michael Schmitt, 18, of West Caldwell, is the second person scheduled to appear before Superior Court Judge Peter V. Ryan in Newark this week on a charge of creating a false public alarm by making social media threats against a local high school.

Schmitt, who is scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning, follows Joseph Rafanello of Nutley, who was placed on home detention by Ryan on Wednesday following a detention hearing.

Rafanello, also 18, has been accused of posting on Instagram a threatening video he later deleted.

Most of those against whom authorities have publicly announced charges are juveniles whose names have not been released. They include:

Two

A 17-year-old

A 13-year-old from Madison and a 14-year-old from Nutley charged with making a threat against Abundant Life Academy, a private school in Nutley.

A 13-year-old and a 14-year-old in Jefferson Township charged with making threats against the township's

A 12-year-old student at

An 18-year-old at

A 15-year-old accused of

Two students, whose ages were not released, charged with making terroristic threats at Delsea Regional High School in Franklin Township in Gloucester County.

A 14-year-old in Somerset County accused of threatening a shooting at Franklin Township High School

In addition to the juveniles and the two 18-year-olds in Essex County, a South Jersey teacher is reportedly among those charged since the shooting in Florida.

The Courier-Post reported Wednesday that Williamstown Middle School teacher Paul VanHouten was arrested by Monroe Township police on Feb. 16 on a charge of creating a false alarm after he allegedly spread on social media a rumor about gun violence at the school.

Authorities have indicated that a number of other reported threats remain under investigation, including what local police said was a "concerning statement" made on an unspecified social media platform by a student at Cedar Grove Memorial Middle School.

In another case, a threat written on a bathroom stall at Memorial Middle School in Point Pleasant Borough led authorities on Monday to lock down the school and order the student body and teachers to "shelter in place" during a search. Police said that investigation also remains ongoing.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips