West Shamokin High School students were evacuated Friday afternoon when a student found “school go boom” scrawled over a boy's room urinal about noon.
State police Cpl. Christopher Robbins said the student reported the threat to teachers, and officials began the evacuation. Another student tried to erase the threat before police arrived, authorities said.
Police did not find a bomb in the search of the building. Students — who were evacuated to Shannock Valley Elementary — returned to the high school about 1:30 p.m.
“Surveillance played a big role in this investigation,” Robbins said. “We have it narrowed down to several suspects. There are still interviews to be conducted, but kids need to understand there are serious consequences with this — it is a felony, and they will be prosecuted.”
The threat in West Shamokin was the second in the Armstrong School District this week. Kittanning High School officials found the first bomb threat in 11 years outside of one the school's doors before classes began Tuesday.
Kittanning police have interviewed several students about threat, but the incident is still under investigation, Chief Bruce Mathews said.
“What might seem like juvenile humor is really a big deal,” Robbins said. “Since the state police are the primary law enforcement for most of Armstrong County, since we were tied up out here, someone who genuinely needed us could have been deprived of our services. That's not fair.”
Brad Pedersen is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-543-1303, ext. 1337, or bpedersen@tribweb.com.
