Union Co. Boy Who Threatened To Bomb Cranford School On Twitter, Charged: Police

UNION COUNTY, NJ — A 17-year-old boy from Cranford was arrested on Thursday after posting a threat on social media targeted at Cranford High School back in February, according to Cranford Police.

Principal Mark Cantagallo was notified by an alert staff member about an alarming Twitter post involving a bomb threat at Cranford High School on Feb. 8. After a month-long investigation, police identified the suspect as a 17-year-old from Cranford who was then arrested and brought to the Union County Superior Court for a first appearance.

The Cranford Police Department was immediately contacted after the incident and began an investigation to source the alarming post.

Although this event occurred after school hours, Cranford Public Schools officials evacuated the remaining occupants from the school while the Union County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit, and the Cranford Police Department, conducted a security sweep of the building.

Read more: Threat Causes Evacuation At Cranford High School

As a result of this security sweep, it was determined that the threat was not credible.

According to police, Detective Michael Dubitsky worked with internet service providers to pinpoint the origin of the alarming post. Within an hour, detectives located and confronted the 17-year-old at his Cranford home — confiscating multiple electronic devices.

The boy was charged with second degree creating a false public alarm and third degree terroristic threats, police said.

Working with the Union County High Tech Task Force, Detective Dubitsky also conducted a forensic inspection of the boy's devices as part of this investigation.

Police Chief Ryan J. Greco commended the actions of the witnesses, the Cranford Public Schools, the Union County Sheriff's Office and specifically Detective Michael Dubitsky in this investigation.

"This unfortunate event came to a successful, peaceful resolution because an individual saw something suspicious and then acted upon that observation," Greco said. "Detective Dubitsky's High Tech Task Force experience aided in the quick determination that this was a false public alarm, easing the concerns of many of our parents."