CASE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT Printed: 02/14/2018 16:24 Berkeley Township Police Department oa: 17003314 (Case Status: EXCEPTIONALLY. Occurred: 12/12/2017 (Offense: POLICE INFORMATION Investigator: SOMERS, WILLIAM — (5389) Date/Time: 01/23/2018 09:48:07, Tuesday Supervisor: LAROCCA, PETER (5368) Supervisor Review Date/Time: 01/23/2018 09:52:06, Tuesday Contact: Reference: Detective Supplement ‘On December 12, 2017 Sergeant Joseph Robertazzi #5340 was assigned as the Central Regional High ‘School (CRHS) Security Officer for the day. While working in the school, Sgt. Robertazzi, along with Mr, ‘Mazzuca (CRHS Vice Principal) was notified to respond to the Dr. Doug Corbert's (CRHS Principal) Office immediately via the school designated radio's Unon arrival Sot. Robertazzi was made aware that a teacher at the hhigh school, identified as Mrs. Karen Hore found a handgun inside her purse. Mrs. Horen reported to Sgt. Robertazzi that she arrived atthe high schoo! this morning and responded to her assigned postin the hallway where she placed her coat and school bag down on a table. Mrs. Horen then left her bag and coat unattended in the area for approximately 10 minutes before returning and taking her belongings to her classroom. Mrs. Horen then reported to Sgt. Robertazzi while emptying her bag, she located a gun inside her school bag and did not know how or when it got there, Mrs. Hoten reported she immediately brought her entire school bag containing the weapon to Dr. Corbett's Office to notify him what she found. Mrs. Horen was ‘unaware of where the gun came from and how it got into her bag and believed someone might have placed it in her ‘bag while it was unattended in the school hall 1, Detective William Somers #5389, along with Detective Sergeant Peter La Rocca #5368 were requested and responded to Central Regional High School in reference to this incident. Upon arrival we met with Sgt. Robertazzi, in the school security office, who advised me of the above noted information and the details of the incident. Sgt. Robertazzi advised this detective that he took possession of the weapon and immediately cleared the ‘weapon rendering it safe and placed a plug into the chamber area of the weapon to show the weapon was cleared and inoperable. Sgt. Robertazzi further advised this detective that he asked Mrs. Horen if the weapon could have ‘come from her own home and she stated "no". Sgt. Robertazzi stated that Mrs. Horen was visibly disturbed and upset over the fact that she located the weapon inside of her schoo! bag. ‘This detective then observed a small frame silver colored hand gun on the desk in the security office. The \weapon was in a locked back position with an unknown object placed into the chamber of the weapon. The weapon is a.32 ACP caliber, North American Arms, Guardian model. The weapon is silver in color with black grips and contained serial number AFO5216 inscribed in the frame of the weapon. This detective also observed a handgun. ‘magazine which was fully loaded with six (6) rounds in the magazine. Sgt. Robertazzi advised this detective the ‘weapon did not have a round chambered when he recovered and cleared it. This detective would describe the ‘weapon to be in good condition and clean, The weapon was a light weight, small frame hand gun, The weapon did not appear to have been fired recently if at all Dr. Corbett then responded to the security office and advised this detective that his staff had the ‘opportunity to review the hallway surveillance cameras in the high school specifically in the area of where Mrs. Hoten’s bag and coat was located. Dr. Corbett stated they were able to see Mrs. Horen’s bag and coat from the time she placed it down tll the time she removed it and took it to her classroom, and they did not see anyone approach ‘or place anything into Mrs. Horen’s bag during this time frame. Dr. Corbett was going to attempt to review the school surveillance from when Mrs. Horen arrived at school until she brought the weapon into Dr. Corbet's office. ‘The weapon serial number ( AFO5216) was subsequently checked locally (BTPD), through the New Jersey State Police, and through Point Pleasant Police Department (Township where Mrs. Horen resides) for a potential owner of the weapon. This search was met with positive results. This detective was advised the weapon was Tnvestigator Signature ‘Superisor Signature Page 6CASE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT Printed: 02/14/2018 16:24 Berkeley Township Police Department coca: 17003314 (Case Status: EXCEPTIONALLY. fave Ming Status: NA 12017 Offense: POLICE INFORMATION Investigator: SOMERS, WILLIAM — (5389) Date/Time: 01/23/2018 09:48:07, Tuesday Supervisor: LAROCCA, PETER — (5368) Supervisor Review Date 01/23/2018 09:52:06, Tuesday Contacts Reference: Detective Supplement registered and owned by lan Horen of —<—<—ee eee later identified as Mrs. Horen’s husband. A copy of the New Jersey State Police Firearms History for Mr. Horen was provided to this detective and showed him currently owning a North American Arms Guardian .32 Caliber weapon bearing serial number ‘AF0S216, along with numerous other weapons. ‘The weapon was then packaged and transported to Berkeley Townbship Police Department by this detective. The weapon was then vouchered and placed into the Berkeley Township Police Evidence Vault. This detective along with D/Sgt. La Rocca then advised Mrs. Horen she would need to respond to Berkeley Township Police Headquarters to provide a taped statement in reference to this incident. Mrs. Horen agreed to come give a statement and was subsequently transported to BTPD by Sergeant Frank Bruno #5390, Once at BTPD this detective along with D/Sgt. La Rocea conducted a recorded interview of Mrs. Horen. During the ‘course of the interview Karen Horen was advised of her Miranda Rights which she stated she understood and signed off on the Rights Waiver Form. Mrs. Horen, in summation, then stated the following; = She got up for work this morning and prior to leaving her home she went into her safe located in her ‘garage for Christmas shopping money. = She keeps all extra money hidden in a large safe in the homes garage, = She had to move items around the safe to locate and access the money in the safe, = She stated itis possible one of her husband's weapons could have fallen into her school bag while she was getting money from the safe. = She then went to school and went to her assigned post in the morning and placed her belongings down = She then brought her items into her classroom and began to empty her contents for the day and located a handgun in her bag, ~ Upon finding the gun in her bag, she went right to Mr. Corbett’s office with it and notified him of the gun = She was unaware the weapon had fallen into her bag = She believed someone may have put the gun in her bag = She is aware that her husband has guns in the safe but does not handle them in any way. = She resides with her husband, lan Horen, and her adult daughter Lindsay Horen. = She stated there are no problems at home or at schoo! that someone would place the weapon in her bag, intentionally = She does not want to harm anyone = Her husband has not used any of the weapons in the safe in years and only holds onto them because he thinks they may be worth money some day ‘A copy of this interview was saved for this case file, See recorded interview for full details, Mrs. Horen was then released and given a ride back to CRHS by Sgt. Bruno. This detective along with D/Sgt. La Rocca then responded 10 | to speak with Ian and Lindsay Horen. Upon arrival we were met in the driveway by Lindsay Horen who then got her father lan from inside the home. We then explained the incident to Mr. Horen and asked if he was aware of Karen bringing a weapon to school with her. Mr. Horen was unaware of this occurring and did not believe that it could have occurred. Mr. Horen then escorted this detective and D/Sgt. La Rocea into his garage and to the location of Tnvestigator Signature ‘Supenisor Signature Page 7CASE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT Printed: 02/14/2018 16:24 Berkeley Township Police Department coca: 17003314 (Case Status: EXCEPTIONALLY. Oceurred: 12/12/2017 Offense: POLICE INFORMATION Investigator: SOMERS, WILLIAM — (5389) 01/23/2018 09:48:07, Tuesday Supervisor: LAROCCA, PETER (5368) Supervisor Review Date/Time: 0]/23/2018 09:52:06, Tuesday Contact: Reference: Detective Supplement his safe. The safe isa large green safe, approximately 5° tall, with a digital combination lock and a tur style handle, Mr. Horen stated only he and his wife have the combination to the safe and that they do in fact keep cash inside the safe, although he did not know exactly where it was located, due to his wife being the one who puts it in there, Upon opening the safe, Mr. Horen picked up an empty cloth, in the waist band style holster which was laying rear the edge of a shelf inside the safe, and stated he is missing his gun. It should be noted the holster did not have any type of locking mechanism to secure the weapon inside the holster. This detective then advised Mr, Horen we ‘were in possession of his handgun and showed him a photograph depicting the handgun Mrs. Horen had in her bag. Mr. Horen then advised this detective that was in fact his handgun and could not believe Mrs. Horen had it in her bag. Mr. Horen then removed some small boxes on the same shelf and directly behind the area where the handgun ‘was located in an attempt to locate where Mrs. Horen was hiding the money. Mr. Horen then located an envelope containing cash under one of the boxes directly behind where the handgun was located. It should be noted the ‘handgun holster was placed near the outside edge of the shelf and directly in front of the boxes where Mrs. Horen was hiding the money. Both Mr. Horen and Lindsay stated there are no known domestic violence concems within the family oF household and that it would be very much out of character if Mrs. Horen intentionally brought a weapon into school with her. Mr. Horen stated he truly believed that the weapon must have fallen into Mrs. Horen’s bag and she did not know about it, Neither had any concerns for Mrs. Horen having suicidal or homicidal thoughts. ‘AL this time no criminal charges have been signed on Karen Horen and itis believed the weapon was unintentionally brought into Central Regional High School after it fell into Mrs. Horen’s bag and she was unaware of it being in there. This detective does believe the incident did in fact occur in the manner that was reported by ‘Mrs. Horen and that she was completely unaware the weapon was inside her bag, (On December 13, 2017 this detective contacted Executive Assistant Prosecutor Robert Armstrong of the ‘Ocean County Prosecutor's Office to inform him of the details ofthe incident, After advising AP Armstrong of the incident he agreed no criminal charges were necessary and there was no culpability inthis case. AP Armstrong, further felt the incident was an accident and that Mrs. Horen immediately brought the weapon to her supervisor ‘upon locating it which showed she did not intentionally bring it in to the school. No further investigation at this time. Tnvesiigator Signature ‘Supervisor Signature Page §