BELLVILLE, Ohio – A string of bomb-related threats to Richland County schools continued Thursday as two institutions reported new incidents.
Richland County Sheriff Maj. Joe Masi confirmed arrests relating to the Thursday morning situations were made at both Clear Fork and Madison high schools.
Clear Fork Valley Local Schools Superintendent Janice Wyckoff said a Clear Fork student attempted to sign out of school in the morning and wrote that he or she was leaving to bomb a school.
“Our office staff spotted that immediately, and within a few minutes we already had the student with another member of the staff being taken to the assistant principal’s office,” she said.
Once in the office, Wyckoff said law enforcement immediately was contacted. Both school administration and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office questioned the student, who claimed it was “just a joke.”
Wyckoff declined to identify the age, sex, or grade of the student.
“The school notified us of a threat at Clear Fork,” Masi said. “We responded and did the preliminary investigation [along with school administrators], and we made an arrest.
“That person will be charged.”
The school immediately went on a “Green Lockdown,” which Wyckoff said means no person was allowed in or out of the building, and the students stayed sheltered in the building.
“We feel positive that there wasn’t anything planted,” she said. “Just a student who didn’t really think things through.”
Law enforcement did check the building, she said, adding that the student involved is on a 10-day suspension and will be recommended for expulsion.
Wyckoff said Clear Fork staff has had regular meetings and drills to be prepared for incidents such as these.
“At some point this has to stop – this is ridiculous. They’re creating panic and costing taxpayers money because we’re stopping education and our efforts are going in a different direction,” she added. “These are people’s kids, and that’s not funny.”
As soon as the situation at Clear Fork concluded, Masi said his office received a call from Madison schools regarding a separate threat.
Madison administration did a preliminary investigation along with the sheriff’s office and an arrest was made.
The school never reached lockdown status.
Masi said whoever is involved in the rash of threats affecting the area must understand the consequences for their actions. And if students are involved, Masi added, they could spend time in a juvenile prison until they are 21 years old.
“I do know that the prosecutor’s office will prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent, and we need to start making some examples out of the people that are involved in this as a deterrent,” he said. “Once they realize that they’re going to prison over this if they’re found guilty, I believe it will work as a deterrent.”
“I do know that the prosecutor’s office will prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent, and we need to start making some examples out of the people that are involved in this as a deterrent,” Maj. Joe Masi said.
Richland Source will limit coverage of school threats to essential information unless there is a confirmed critical event. We will report responsibly without sensationalizing in a effort to reduce escalation of events.
