Police investigate bomb threats at schools

Amherst police have identified suspects in recent bomb threats to local schools.

Police said they were called in to investigate bomb threats at the Amherst Junior High School as well as Walter G. Nord Middle School twice in the last week.

The first threat was during the school day April 8 and another came in late morning April 11, according to police.

The April 11 bomb threat was targeted toward Amherst Junior High through the social media app Snapchat.

“In the threat, it was stated the incident would take place on April 12,” according to a police report.

The Amherst Police Department Detective Bureau and the command staff are handling the investigation, the report stated.

By late in the day April 11, the Police Department had identified suspects in the case, according to police.

“The Amherst Police Department has identified and interviewed juvenile persons of interest and has seized electronics in relation to the concerning messages sent (April 11),” according to a statement released by Amherst police late April 11. “Those messages referred to a bomb at both schools listed below as well as a hit list.

“We unfortunately had to decide whether to use our available resources to provide additional detailed information to the public, or use them to investigate the actual incident. Limiting the information and maximizing the investigation allowed us to follow up on several leads and bring this situation to quick conclusion tonight.”

The Amherst Police Department is investigating a few concerning messages that are circulating via social media pertaining to Amherst Junior High and Nord Middle, the Police Department initially wrote early April 11 on Facebook.

“The Amherst Schools and Amherst Police take the situation seriously and will be implementing precautionary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff members while we continue to investigate these messages,” according to the post published.

Late last week, Amherst Junior High received the first bomb threat which claimed there was a device placed in a restroom facility, according to a report from the Police Department.

“The Amherst Police Department, through communication with the Lorain County Bomb Squad and in conjunction with Amherst Junior High School Administrators, immediately developed a plan to evacuate and inspect the building. Nothing of a suspicious nature was found and the graffiti reference was determined to be non-credible,” according to a statement from the Police Department.

An Amherst Police Department school resource officer was notified at 11 a.m., April 8, by school officials that the bomb threat had been issued through “graffiti located on a restroom stall which made reference to a bomb,” a police report stated.

The officer conducted an initial search of the bathroom, where nothing was found.

He then called for assistance from the Police Department, who joined forces with school officials and conducted a “thorough search” while the students were conducting a “fire drill,” the report stated.

Once it was determined the threat was unfounded, school resumed as usual, according to the report.

Amherst Schools Superintendent Steve Sayers didn’t immediately return a call for comment.

Sayers had not made any public announcements regarding the threats as of late April 12 morning, according to a secretary at the Board of Education office.