Bledsoe Middle School placed on alert after gun threat found

For the next few mornings, Bledsoe County Middle School students must pass through metal detectors and undergo searches of their book bags and backpacks after a gun threat was found Tuesday on a girls’ bathroom wall.

The threat read, “I plan on bringing a gun tomorrow,” Bledsoe County Director of Schools Jennifer Terry said Wednesday. The threat was written on a stall wall, she said.

Sheriff Jimmy Morris said there were no incidents Wednesday, and officers conducting searches found no weapons or other contraband.

But, just to make sure, Morris said there would be a heightened law enforcement presence for at least the rest of the week.

“I don’t feel the students were ever in any danger whatsoever,” Morris said.

“But we feel we need some extra precautions for the next few days, ” he said. “We might do some random searches and things like that.”

Terry said parents were issued an “all- call” alert Tuesday night notifying them of the threat and security measures being taken as students arrived for school the next day. Fewer than 400 students attend the middle school in Pikeville, Tenn.

“We definitely want to keep parents in the loop,” Terry said. Officials at Bledsoe County High School were notified of the threat, as well.

School and sheriff ’s office officials don’t believe it was a “credible threat,” but it’s always better to err on the side of caution, she said.

“You never know in this day and time,” Terry said.

No one was named in the threat and, so far, there are no suspects, officials said.

“They will be dealt with accordingly when we find out who it was,” Terry said.

Terry said the threat appeared to have little impact on attendance — 25 students were absent from the middle school Wednesday compared with 12 on Tuesday. But the flu has been causing attendance figures to fluctuate as well, she said.

Parents and students can expect the same morning scenario at the middle school for at least the rest of the week, officials said. Bledsoe County has full- time school resource officers at all its schools.

“The main goal is to maintain safety,” Terry said.

Meanwhile, the Bledsoe County Sheriff ’s Department is continuing to investigate the threat, Morris said.

“I’m very proud of our school system,” the sheriff said. “They used every precaution they can.”

Anyone with any information about the incident should call the Bledsoe County Sheriff ’s Office at 423- 447-2197.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ ben. benton1 or 423-757-6569.