Executive Summary
- A Rider University student, Alex Theis, 21, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and weapon offenses.
- The charges stem from an incident where a suspect allegedly threatened several people with a knife inside a residence hall.
- The event triggered a 40-minute campus-wide lockdown on November 10, which was lifted after the suspect was apprehended by police.
- No injuries were reported, and campus operations resumed after law enforcement secured the area.
A student at Rider University in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, was arrested on November 10 and charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and weapon offenses after an incident involving a knife prompted a campus-wide lockdown. Lawrence Police Department identified the suspect as Alex Theis, 21, a junior acting major. No injuries were reported in the event.
The university issued a “Shelter in place” alert at 1:57 p.m. following reports that a suspect armed with a knife had confronted and threatened several people inside Poyda Hall, a student residence building. According to a statement from law enforcement, Theis was apprehended by officers near Moore Library shortly after the incident was reported.
The lockdown, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, ended after the university sent a final alert at 2:37 p.m. confirming the suspect was in custody and that there was no active threat to the campus. A student community assistant in Poyda Hall told The Rider News that the incident occurred on the fourth floor of the residence hall.
Faculty and students described a tense atmosphere during the alert. Jessi Oliano, a professor, recounted securing her classroom by barricading doors with tables to ensure her students’ safety while awaiting further information. The university faced a similar lockdown in April 2023, which was later determined to be a false threat known as “swatting.”
Following the apprehension of the suspect, campus operations and classes resumed as scheduled. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.