A New Jersey teacher was arrested Monday morning for allegedly making “terroristic threats” that forced public schools in ritzy Montclair to close for the day, according to police.
The Montclair public school system announced the closure Monday because of what police called “a potential threat to the safety of staff members and students.”
The school board later said that “the threat we were addressing has been neutralized” — with police announcing the arrest of Amir Doctry, a 45-year-old special education teacher who was already on administrative leave.
Doctry — who worked in the district from 2017 — allegedly made online threats to an unidentified staffer at Northeast Elementary School, Montclair cops said.
Police, school officials, the county prosecutor and the FBI worked through the night to identify the source of the threats, according to The Record.
Doctry was traced to Philadelphia, where he was collared around 8 a.m. and charged with making terroristic threats, police said — saying that additional charges were expected.
Officials did not detail the exact nature of the alleged threats, nor why the busted teacher had been on administrative leave. His LinkedIn suggested he stopped teaching in the area in 2021.
“We would like to reassure the public that there is no further danger to our community,” local cops said, adding that they’ve boosted patrols at district schools in Montclair “out of an abundance of caution.”
The school board stressed that the safety of staff and students was the priority.
“I understand that this last-minute closure may cause inconvenience, but the safety of our students, staff, and entire school community is our highest priority,” Damen Cooper, the interim schools superintendent, said in an email.
“I understand that this situation may have caused anxiety and disruption for our entire school community,” he added.
“Please know that every step taken was guided by our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families.”
Montclair Mayor Renee Baskerville also called the closure “a precautionary measure” with “no immediate threat.”
Montclair is about a half-hour west of New York City and is home to around 40,000 people, including celebrities like late-night host Stephen Colbert and Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
