A man training for a marathon triggered a lockdown at a New Jersey school on Monday.

Police in Wildwood Crest got the call just after 8 a.m. about a man walking near Crest Memorial School wearing a bullet proof vest.

As police raced to the scene, the school was placed into lockdown out of what police called "an abundance of caution."

Initially, police were unable to locate the man. Other law enforcement agencies were called to aid in the search.

In a statement, police say they were able to locate the man the witness described later in the day. He was found to be wearing a weighted vest, not body armor.

A weighted vest is use to intensify workouts. The man, who was not identified, told police he was training for a marathon.

It is not known what type of weighted vest the man was wearing, but a search of available products does show it could easily have been mistaken for body armor.

Police thanked the public and school officials for their response.

"The administration and faculty at Crest Memorial School followed their safety protocols," Wildwood Crest Police said in a statement, "All students at the school were safely sheltered until they were reunited with their parents."

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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