Keansburg Man Accused of Making Call Threatening Courthouse

A Keansburg man is accused of telling Middletown police dispatch that a shooting spree would take place at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold.

Robert Malinowski, 22, was arrested and charged him with false public alarm, according to a press release by the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

Malinowski allegedly placed the 9-1-1 call at 10:05 a.m. on Thursday. Security was increased in and around the courthouse while sheriff’s officers, detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, and Keansburg and Middletown Police worked to apprehend the suspect, the release stated.

"We take each and every threat seriously," Sheriff Shaun Golden said in the press release. "In the wake of the recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, people are even more sensitive. It’s our duty to make certain that law enforcement remains on high alert to ensure public safety."

An investigation into the call traced it to the Keansburg area cell phone belonging to Malinowski’s father, according to the MCSO.

"This arrest sends a clear message that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated," Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said in the release.