Two juveniles have been charged in separate bomb threats at area schools Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office said that a teen at Whiteville High School has been named in a juvenile petition, as has one from West Columbus High School.
The West Columbus student was identified with the assistance of the State Bureau of Investigation, Sheriff Bill Rogers said in a new release. That particular threat led to classes being disrupted for about an hour Wednesday while WCHS and West Columbus middle were searched.
Classes in Whiteville were on early dismissal due a threat at Central Middle that morning.
Around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, a sixth grader at Central allegedly told other students that a bomb would be detonated during the National Emergency Alert Test on Wednesday afternoon. The School Resource Officer took charge of the student while the school was evacuated and searched. After the school was cleared, officers recommended the school be released early. Juvenile Justice refused to prosecute that case, and the juvenile was turned over to his parents.
At Whiteville High, a 16 year old student allegedly interrupted class by yelling that he was a bomber and planned to blow up the entire school at a specific time. The School Resource Officer took the student into custody. Whiteville High was already on early release, since buses are shared between Central and WHS.
Whiteville Police assisted in traffic control at WHS, the news release said.
Charges were sought for both teenagers, and juvenile petitions filed today (Friday).
“False bomb threats are not a p[rank, they are a crime,” Rogers said in the press release. “Don’t let a moment of poor judgement ruin your future. Think about the impact your actions can have on your school, your parents, your friends and your community.
“These bomb threats caused fear and panic in parents and children in both districts,” Rogers said. “They have disrupted each school involved and pulled law enforcement away from other duties.
“We encourage parents to actively engage with their children, and use these threats as an opportunity to learn from others and actions and deter similar threats in the future.”
