Allison Pries
A Union County College student was arrested Monday for bringing fake guns onto the college’s Cranford campus, authorities said.
Eric Jacobs, 20, of Millburn, was charged with fourth degree possession of an imitation firearm for an unlawful purpose and creating a hazardous condition, a disorderly persons offense.
A college employee called campus public safety at about 10 a.m. to report that a person on campus appeared to be carrying a weapon.
Cranford Police arrived on scene and arrested Jacobs without incident. Officers found him with three imitation weapons — one resembling a rifle and two resembling handguns, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
Classes were not disrupted, college spokeswoman Jaime Segal said.
“This was a best case outcome for this kind of situation. A college employee saw something and said something,” Segal said. “This outcome was possible due to the alertness and diligence of our staff, who efficiently worked together with the Cranford (Police).”
“We encourage all of our staff and students to be alert and observant and share concerns with our Public Safety officers so that situations may proactively be addressed, as was the case here,” she said.
Jacobs was still in custody Monday afternoon and the incident remains under investigation. Additional charges are possible, authorities said.
Anyone with information is urged to call Cranford Police Detective Derek Farbanec at 908-709-7347.
Union County College is a two-year public college with campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth and Plainfield and two satellite locations in Rahway and Scotch Plains. It has about 30,000 enrolled students.
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