Sheriff’s Office Investigates Bomb Threats At School
Published: November 18, 2009
Updated: November 18, 2009
LEWIS CENTER, Ohio—Authorities continued to investigate a series of bomb threats made at Olentangy Orange Middle School.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
Delaware County sheriff’s deputies were called to the school twice Wednesday to investigate bomb threats.
The first call was at 8:15 a.m.
“A vague bomb threat was written on a wall in a boy’s bathroom. The sheriff’s office, assisted by school administrators, performed thorough safety checks and determined the school was safe,” Sheriff Walter L. Davis III said.
The middle school, which is part of Olentangy Local Schools, went on a level-2 lockdown. A level-2 lockdown means students stayed in their classrooms and were not allowed to change classes.
The lockdown was lifted shortly before 9 a.m.
The sheriff’s office received a second call in reference to a bomb threat at the school at 12:09 p.m. The school was placed on lockdown again.
“The threat was again written on a wall, in the same bathroom,” Davis said. “This message was new. It was not there the first time we searched the bathroom.”
Deputies swept the school with the assistance of a K-9. No explosives were found.
The sheriff’s office also has been investigating the first bomb threat, which was made Monday, Nov. 9.
There is a possibility the three threats are related.
“We are carefully gathering every piece of evidence available to help us identify and prosecute the person making these threats.” Davis said, “School should be a place where kids feel free to come and learn. They should not have to worry about dangers like bombs.“
The sheriff’s office has school-resource officers assigned to the Olentangy Local School District, and the office was to maintain a law-enforcement presence in the building for the remainder of the week.
Principal Brian J. Lidle sent home the following parent advisory Wednesday:
At approximately 8:10 a.m. today, suspicious graffiti was reported in a boy’s bathroom that indicated a vague bomb threat. The Olentangy Orange Middle School (OOMS) administration and other district administrators, in conjunction with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, immediately began to investigate the situation. The Sheriff’s Office was on site by 8:20 a.m. At approximately 8:30 a.m., students were placed on a level 2 lockdown, which means that they were held in their classes and teachers continued to provide instruction while the administration and the Sheriff’s Office addressed the situation. This was done so that district and school administrators could perform a security sweep of the school and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office also performed additional safety checks. While evacuation was considered, no indication of a threat was found and students resumed their normal activities at approximately 8:54 a.m.
At Olentangy Local Schools the safety of our students and staff members is our top priority. This incident and the incident from November 9 are both under investigation. If any evidence to support charges or other disciplinary action against the responsible individual(s) is found, the district will pursue this matter to the fullest extent of the law. The district is in continued contact with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and will keep these communication lines open throughout these investigations.
I wish to thank all of our students and staff members for their maturity and cooperation during this morning’s incident. At OOMS we take these matters very seriously. Any support from parents and students related to either incident is appreciated.
I also want to thank the Sheriff’s Office for their expertise and support in addressing this safety concern. Should you have any additional questions or information about this incident or anything else related to our school, please feel free to contact the school office at 740-657-5300.
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Reader Reactions
While it doesn’t say in the article, I wonder if anyone took a picture of the writing and the other writings.
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