Man who plotted to shoot teachers, students at new egypt high school indicted

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced the return of the indictment yesterday (8/1) against MATTHEW VLADIMIR VANDERBEEK, 19, of Cream Ridge, NJ. The charges listed in the indictment are: Count one Terrorism first degree, Count two Unlawful Possession of a Weapon fourth degree, Count three Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose third degree, and Count four Attempted Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose second degree. A copy of the Indictment is attached.

The indictment stems from the investigation begun on 06/19/2018, by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Unit Det. Brant Uricks and Plumsted Township Police Det. Anthony Ringle into an alleged threat made by a New Egypt High School student to shoot students and staff at the school’s graduation ceremony. The investigation by the partnering detectives quickly identified Matthew Vanderbeek as the suspect who allegedly utilized social media to communicate his intention to shoot school students and staff. A search warrant was approved and authorized to search Vanderbeek’s Hyacinth Court residence to check for weapons, additional evidence of the crime and to attempt to seize any communications made via phone or computer.

The search warrant was executed by the initial investigating agencies, with assistance from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office’s CSI, as well as, their K-9 capable of detecting the presence of firearms or ammunition. The search warrant and follow-up investigation verified the threats by Vanderbeek and found additionally that he was attempting to obtain a firearm. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Ocean County Jail where he reminds incarcerated.

Shore News Network Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.