Former Sussex County College Student Arrested For Threats, Prompting 2-Day Closure: Police

Newton Police responded to the reported threat just before 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 22, the department said in a release.

The college was subsequently evacuated and closed for the rest of the evening, as well as the following day.

Karl V. Taguinod, 24, was arrested at his Sparta home following an investigation by the Newton Police Department and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, August 23. He was charged with two counts of terroristic threats and false public alarm and was being held in the Morris County Jail per the Criminal Justice Reform Act.

The Sparta Township Police Department, the New Jersey State Police TEAMS Unit and Bomb Squad, the Andover Township Police Department, the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, and the Vernon Township Police Department also assisted with the investigation.

“The College is grateful to our security team and law enforcement for working together to peacefully resolve this matter,” the Sussex County Community College President said in a follow-up statement on the matter. “We are also appreciative of community members who reached out with concern for the school and demonstrated great patience during this dynamic situation.”

“Mental Health is a crucial aspect of our overall well-being and significantly impacts how we think and interact. If you, or someone you know, is having a mental health crisis, please dial 988 for the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Hotline.”

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