TOMS RIVER — Two Ocean County hospitals were briefly locked down after bomb threats were phoned in on December 9, prompting a large law enforcement response and precautionary searches.
Community Medical Center in Toms River and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood were both secured while the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit conducted sweeps of the facilities.
No explosive devices were found, and both hospitals were cleared to reopen, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
The investigation remains active and is being handled by multiple agencies, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad, Major Crime Unit–Arson Squad, and Homeland Security Squad, along with the Lakewood and Toms River police departments and the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit.
According to Exit 80 Scanner News, a threat was made over the phone – a male attempted to enter the emergency room and was denied access. The report described him as a Middle Eastern male with olive skin approximately 5’8″ wearing a brown jacket. However, those details were not confirmed by authorities.
We will bring you any new details once they are released.
