Westfield officials praise police response after firearm threat at high school; investigation ongoing
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Summary
Town leaders said police, county detectives and neighboring departments searched Westfield High School after a reported firearm threat at 11:31 a.m.; no weapon was found, the lockdown ended about 2:49 p.m., and the Juvenile Bureau is investigating.
Westfield town leaders thanked law enforcement agencies Tuesday evening after a reported firearm threat at Westfield High School prompted a full search of the building.
The Mayor said Westfield Police, with assistance from Garwood and Fanwood police, detectives from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and K9 units from the Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report at about 11:31 a.m. No weapon or other threat was located, and the lockdown was lifted at approximately 2:49 p.m. The Mayor said the source of the threat remains under investigation by the Westfield Police Department’s Juvenile Bureau and asked anyone with information to contact police.
The statement, delivered at the start of the council’s regular meeting, commended Westfield Public Schools for following safety protocols and thanked students, staff and parents for cooperation while the situation was resolved. The Mayor also noted a personal perspective as a parent of two school-age children in describing how upsetting such incidents can be for families.
No additional operational details or suspect information were provided at the meeting. The town has not announced any changes to school schedules or long-term security measures at this time.
The council’s public remarks were the most recent local update; the police investigation is ongoing and the town asked residents with tips to contact law enforcement.