Photo by Yael Katzwer
Last week, Columbia High School was placed under lockdown when the Maplewood Police Department received reports of two teenagers with weapons at the school. Shortly after the incident, police arrested two teenagers in connection with the incident. Above, a news van — one of many that surrounded the school Nov. 10 — remains parked outside the school after dismissal that day.
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE — Two teenagers were arrested last week following an investigation of the incident that led to Columbia High School being placed into a code red lockdown for nearly two hours on Nov. 10.
According to a Nov. 12 release from the Maplewood Police Department, a 17-year-old CHS student and Veridson Guillaume, 18, of South Orange, a former student, were arrested for their alleged actions during a fight that included a group of current students at the school.
The juvenile was arrested during the lockdown when police reportedly found him to be in possession of brass knuckles, which are considered a weapon.
Although Guillaume did not enter the school building, he did allegedly come onto school property. Subsequently a complaint for trespass was issued for him, according to Maplewood police.
According to the release from the police department, Maplewood officers had gone to Guillaume’s South Orange home in the early morning hours of Nov. 11 to serve the warrant. When officers tried to arrest him, Guillaume allegedly resisted arrest and physically assaulted officers. He was taken into custody and charged with trespass and aggravated assault on police officers.
Although a witness to the Nov. 10 incident at Columbia had stated that both the current student and Guillaume had weapons, officers did not recover a weapon from Guillaume.
Columbia was placed into a code red lockdown Nov. 10 that began at 12:40 p.m. and ended at approximately 2:18 p.m., when everyone was released to resume classes, according to the district. During the lockdown, Maplewood police searched the building as “a precautionary measure.”
“High school administration has been informed of a potential threat involving a CHS student and a former CHS student possibly involving weapons,” Memoli and CHS Principal Elizabeth Aaron wrote in a letter to the community Nov. 10, a copy of which was sent to the News-Record by the district.
“The administration notified the Maplewood police, who then initiated the code red as a precautionary measure.”
South Orange police were onsite, as well, at the request of Maplewood police, according to Nov. 11 release from the Maplewood Police Department.
Despite the tensions of the day, district officials pointed out that district protocols had been followed to the letter.
“Code red procedures were followed with police going door-to-door to check all rooms before clearing the code red,” Memoli and Aaron’s letter stated.
“Many students were outside the school because the lockdown began during a lunch period. Security guards and administrators were outside with the students. Nobody was harmed during this event,” the letter continued.
According to a Nov. 11 release from the Maplewood police, the department “received excellent cooperation from school staff and students.”
In the letter, Memoli and Aaron thanked the police, school staff and administrators, and students for their cooperation, and reaffirmed that “the safety of our staff and students remains our first priority.”
These are merely charges. All persons charged are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.