‘Suspicious person’ at Vo-Tech school in New Jersey leads to bomb squad call – NBC10 Philadelphia
The bomb squad was called after a 34-year-old man attempted to enter a high-tech school in South Jersey through several doors Monday afternoon, authorities said.
The incident occurred at the Burlington County Institute of Technology Medford campus on Hawkin Road in Burlington County around 4 p.m., Medford police said.
Medford Police posted about the “suspicious person” in a Facebook post. They said officers initially responded “to a report of an individual attempting to enter the building through multiple doors after making contact with school staff.”
Responding officers arrested Gregory T. Nicholas and began investigating the white work van he drove onto campus.
“A Medford Township Police explosives detection K9 provided a positive indication of the presence of potentially explosive material in the vehicle, resulting in the evacuation of the school and the New Jersey State Police Bomb Unit responding to the school,” Medford police said.
Emergency responders from several surrounding communities and the New Jersey State Police bomb squad were called in, the Burlington County District Attorney’s Office said. As SkyForce10 hovered above, a robot could be seen examining the transporter.
However, it was determined that “there was no danger inside the school or vehicle,” police said.
Nicholas was arrested on charges of false public alarm, trespassing, possession of a weapon (knife) on school grounds and hindering his own arrest, police said.
It was unclear whether Nicholas had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
No students were injured, but “as a precaution,” all students still at school for extracurricular activities were taken to a nearby location and eventually loaded onto buses, Dr. Christopher Nagy, superintendent of the Burlington County Special Services School District, in a letter to parents and guardians.
The incident remained under investigation.
