Sparta School shut down after threat
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
Sparta School was shut down by a threat found in a boy's bathroom by
school personnel Tuesday morning.
The threat, which authorities declined to release to the public, was
apparently made sometime between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
An automated call sent out to parents by Sparta School Principal
Chris Barnes stated that threatening comments had been found on a
boy's bathroom wall at the school.
Scanner traffic stated that the threat was of an explosive device.
"It's still under investigation, I can't comment on it," said Sgt.
Ricky Royal of the Sparta Police Department of the specific nature of
the threat.
After the police department was contacted at 6:53 a.m., Royal
responded to the school and started his initial investigation.
"After my initial investigation, I decided to call in other officers
and other departments to assist in searching the school for threats
or evidence," Royal said. "After nothing was located, we cleared the
school for students and faculty to return."
A room-by-room search was made of all areas of the school, including
student lockers, said Royal. The search began between 7:15 a.m. and
7:30 a.m. and eight officers with the police department, multiple
school personnel and Sheriff David Edwards and numerous deputies also
responded to aid in the search and investigation. Others aided in
traffic control as the police department sealed off access to the
school, sending students up the hill to the new Alleghany High School
gymnasium.
The students were allowed to begin returning to the school when the
officers and deputies cleared the scene at 8:41 a.m., Royal said.
No arrests have been made in the case. However, making a bomb threat
to a school is a felony and those charged may be required to repay
the entire cost of the school shut down and response, if so ordered
by a judge, along with other fines and penalties.
"All threats to a facility of that nature are taken seriously," said
Royal, "and they have to be checked out and investigated thoroughly."
Anyone with information about the threats may call the Sparta Police
Department at 372-4252 or Principal Barnes at Sparta School at 372-8546.
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