South Orange police arrested a Seton Hall University student on charges of making terroristic threats and the unlawful possession of a weapon, among other weapons charges, after allegedly displaying a “multi-tool/pocketknife in a threatening manner” and making statements perceived as a threat on campus on Thursday, April 30.
According to a news release by the South Orange Police Department, when police arrived at the scene on campus, University Public Safety personnel had already detained the suspect and “there was no active or ongoing threat to the campus community.”
The suspect told police that the behavior was intended as a joke. The person who reported the threat was not physically injured “but stated they feared for their safety,” police said.
As part of the police response, according to the release, a referral to a co-responding mental health clinician was offered and accepted — a service provided through a partnership with the Mental Health Association of Essex County.
The suspect was transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility on charges of making terroristic threats, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of a weapon in an educational institution.
The news release said that according to University officials, “the individual has been suspended and is not permitted on campus at this time.”
“The South Orange Police Department acknowledges the swift actions of Seton Hall University Public Safety and emphasizes the importance of continued coordination in maintaining campus and community safety,” the release states.
