St. John Vianney High School In Holmdel Evacuated Due To Bomb Threat
HOLMDEL, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A Catholic high school in Holmdel, N.J. was evacuated due to a bomb threat, the Diocese of Trenton said Wednesday afternoon.
According to officials, St. John Vianney High School was evacuated after a threat was called in to the Holmdel Police earlier in the day saying a bomb would be set off in the school.
As CBS 2's Steve Langford reported, SWAT teams converged on the school. Heavily armed officers were even spotted on the roof.
The students were first evacuated to the football field and then to the nearby St. Benedict Parish and School complex, according to the diocese. They remained in lockdown until dismissal, school officials said.
"We first went to the football field and from there, we probably waited there for about 45 minutes before we went to the St. Ben's Cathedral," a student told Langford.
All of the students were accounted for and were sent home on their regular buses later in the afternoon, the school announced.
A technological glitch delayed the school's ability to send out an alert to parents.
School personnel were not allowed to remain in the school building and it took some time for technology staffers to set up remote capabilities, according to the diocese.
As a result of the delay, frantic parents said they heard about the evacuation secondhand Wednesday afternoon.
"The only way I knew to even get to the school was because she texted me," a mother told Langford.
"We never got a phone call or a text or email, no," another parent said.
"Obviously, the parents are all very upset," said another anxious parent.
Police continue to investigate the threat.
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