Campus Alert Archive
GCU

A Hazlet Juvenile's Phone Call Claiming a Dorm Bomb Emptied Every Building at Georgian Court University

NJbomb threatemergency notificationhigh confidence
Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

At approximately 2:45 PM EST on February 5, 2026, Lakewood Township Police were advised that Georgian Court University had received a phone call claiming a bomb was in a university dorm room; law enforcement evacuated all campus buildings and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit cleared each structure before determining no device existed. A juvenile from Hazlet Township, Monmouth County was identified through an investigation led by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Lakewood Police, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and was detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of terroristic threats and causing false public alarm.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Georgian Court University
Private Masters · NJ
~2,500 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction279 chars
GCU Emergency Alert: A bomb threat has been received reporting a possible device in a campus dorm room. All campus buildings are being evacuated. Please exit all buildings immediately and move away from structures. Law enforcement is on scene. Do not return until further notice.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed: The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Lakewood Police were notified of the bomb threat at approximately 2:45 PM EST on February 5, 2026, and that 'university buildings were evacuated by law enforcement.'
The dorm-specific claim made the threat particularly disruptive -- evacuating residential buildings mid-afternoon displaces students from their living spaces and requires accounting for all residents.
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction201 chars
GCU Emergency Alert: All clear. Law enforcement has completed the sweep of all campus buildings with K-9 units. No device was found. Buildings are now open. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed: Jersey Shore Online and Lakewood Alerts both reported that 'the Lakewood Township Police Department and Ocean County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit cleared each building at the University' before the situation was resolved.
The all-clear is genuine -- it lifts all evacuation restrictions after K-9 confirmation that no explosive device was found in the dormitory or any other building.
Context

Background

Georgian Court University is a small private Catholic institution in Lakewood, Ocean County, New Jersey, founded by the Sisters of Mercy. On the afternoon of February 5, 2026, the university received a call claiming a bomb was in a campus dormitory. Law enforcement from Lakewood Township Police and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office responded immediately and evacuated all campus buildings. After K-9 teams cleared each structure, the campus was reopened. An investigation coordinated by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Gangs/Intelligence/Homeland Security Unit, Lakewood Police, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security traced the call to a juvenile residing in Hazlet Township, Monmouth County, approximately 25 miles from campus. The minor was charged with terroristic threats and causing false public alarm and detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center; their age and other details were withheld under New Jersey law protecting juvenile identities. The Homeland Security involvement reflects a federal investigative partnership for campus bomb threats in New Jersey. Georgian Court's small residential campus -- and the specificity of the dorm-room claim -- created heightened alarm among the university community.
Analysis

Key Findings

The claim of a bomb in a specific dorm room (rather than a generic campus threat) sharpened the evacuation urgency and required accounting for all residential students
U.S. Department of Homeland Security involvement alongside local and county police illustrates the federal-local partnership for educational institution bomb threats in New Jersey
The caller was a juvenile living 25 miles from campus, highlighting how anonymous phone threats allow threat actors with no campus connection to disrupt residential institutions remotely
New Jersey's juvenile privacy statutes prevented public disclosure of the suspect's age and identity, limiting institutional accountability communications to the campus community
Outcome
No device found. A minor from Hazlet, NJ was charged with terroristic threats and causing false public alarm and detained in Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center. Caller's age and other details withheld under state juvenile law.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Juvenile charged with terroristic threats and causing false public alarm - Ocean County Prosecutor's Office
    ocponj.gov
  2. News
    Hazlet Juvenile Arrested After Bomb Threat At Georgian Court University - Daily Voice
    dailyvoice.com
  3. News
    Juvenile charged after bomb threat at Georgian Court University - NJ 101.5
    nj1015.com
  4. News
    Juvenile Charged In Georgian Court Bomb Threat - Jersey Shore Online
    jerseyshoreonline.com
  5. News
    Bomb Threat at Georgian Court University Traced To A Child In Hazlet NJ - Lakewood Alerts
    lakewoodalerts.com
Tags
bomb-threatconfirmed-hoaxjuvenile-offenderresidential-campusdorm-threatnew-jerseylakewoodprivate-catholichomeland-securityk9Hoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion