11 year old boy called bomb threat into Neptune’s Walmart

An 11 year old boy is responsible for the bomb scare that prompted the evacuation of the Walmart store in Neptune Township last Sunday afternoon, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

The store on Route 66 received a call at 1:07 p.m. on Palm Sunday stating the there was bomb in the store and suggesting it be evacuated.

Bomb dogs from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey Transit Police Department, and Middletown Police Department were deployed to assist the Neptune Township Police Department at the scene. The Neptune Township Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services were also deployed to the scene.

A joint investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Neptune Township Police Department concluded that the call was placed by an 11 year old boy.

The juvenile told investigators he obtained the idea for the bomb hoax after seeing a video on YouTube depicting a similar incident.

The youth is not being identified due to his age, and his case will be handled in the juvenile court system.

“Prank phone calls about bomb threats or guns are not a laughing matter. Resources are being deployed at a cost to taxpayers. Parents have a responsibility to monitor what their children do on the Internet where these ideas can be cultivated,” Gramiccioni said.