News
Male Students Questioned In Trimble High School Bomb Threat
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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For the second time in a week, school officials and law enforcement are investigating bomb threats made in a high school.
Trimble High School called law enforcement Thursday at around noon, after a student reported finding a note in a boys bathroom at the school.
The students were all evacuated to the football stadium while members of the Glouster Police Department, Glouster Fire Department and the Athens County Sheriff's Office began searching the school.
"Authorities swept the building and lockers were searched," said Supt. Kim Jones.
The school was officially cleared at about 2 p.m. and students were allowed back inside. Jones and other school employees directed students to gather their things from their lockers, then dismissed the entire school.
The message that was found did not give the location of any explosives, Jones said. It reportedly stated there were three bombs set to go off, one at 1:30 p.m., one at 4:20 p.m., and another at approximately 6 p.m., but neither Jones nor Police Chief Lucas Mace would confirm the details of the note.
Five male students were escorted into the building by school officials while law enforcement were still inside. Three of those students were released shortly before the rest of the school was allowed back in.
"We have suspects and we'll be continuing to gather evidence," Mace said.
Mace confirmed that the suspects were students, but said no charges have been filed. Jones said the school would "definitely" be pursuing charges in connection with the incident.
"I certainly hope the students will realize how dangerous a stunt like this is," Jones said. "Suppose an actual emergency did occur, then all the resources are tied up here."
The school will be open as usual for classes Friday, according to Jones. Members of the Glouster Police Department will be present to continue the bomb threat investigation, Mace said.
The incident is the second bomb threat in less than a week in Athens County. On Monday morning, a bomb threat was reported by Athens High School as a note was found in a girls bathroom that indicated a bomb was present.
A female student has been charged with inducing panic in connection with that incident. The school was cleared of any explosives.