Nov 24, 2015 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – A “juvenile student” confessed to investigators Tuesday about writing a bomb threat discovered earlier in the day in Margaret Bell Miller Middle School that forced the building’s evacuation for the second time in the past week, Waynesburg police Chief Rob Toth said.

The building was evacuated about 11 a.m. after a handwritten note was found in the school. All students were taken to an off-campus location while police checked the school.

Students returned to class about 2 p.m., Toth said.

Investigators interviewed the student accused of writing the note, whom Toth said confessed to making the most recent threat and also writing another note found last Tuesday afternoon inside the girls’ bathroom. In that case, the students were taken to Waynesburg University’s football stadium and then dismissed early.

Toth would not identify the suspect or release the contents of the note. Charges are pending against the student.

State police and a K9 unit from an out-of-town police department helped borough police sweep the school.

“The staff followed directions down there, and the officers did a great job,” Toth said. “Everyone went home safe, and that’s all that matters.”

It was the third bomb threat at a Central Greene school in the past month – the high school was closed for a threat Oct. 28 – and Superintendent Brian Uplinger said they would hold the student responsible.

“This behavior will not be tolerated,” Uplinger said in a text message alert to parents. “We will prosecute this individual to the fullest extent of the law and district policy.”

The situation is not unique to Central Greene.

Jefferson-Morgan School District dealt with similar issues last October when 11 bomb threats were reported over a five-day stretch.

“You always have to prepare that the students are in danger (even though) 99.9 percent of the time there is nothing there, but we take each case seriously,” Jefferson-Morgan acting Superintendent Craig Baily said.

State police charged a student who was found responsible for the early bomb threats against Jefferson-Morgan, but the school continued to have more bomb threats over the next few days. Baily said he thinks the trend finally ended when state troopers gave a presentation to students that educated them on potential punishment for making a bomb threat.

“They shared how serious the issue is taken and how, if caught, the fine can be up to $10,000,” Baily said.