Top Stories

Bomb threat prompts evacuation of Ligonier schools

LIGONIER, Pa. — All schools in the Ligonier Valley School District were evacuated Tuesday morning after a bomb threat was found at the high school, police said.

"It was more time specific so our goal was to get everything complete within that time and we did," said Ligonier Twp. police Chief Michael Matrunics.

According to the district’s superintendent, high school and middle school students were sent home on buses. Middle and elementary school students were picked up at a site off school property.

A bomb squad and K-9 units searched the high school, as well as all other schools. Nothing was found.

TRENDING NOW:

"We were able then to intercept the elementary students before they were dismissed off of the buses and we immediately took them to our predetermined evacuation sites," said Superintendent Dr. Christine Oldham.

Oldham said almost every student was home by noon, around the same time police gave the all clear after nothing suspicious was found.

Officials said the threat that prompted the evacuations and searches was written in a bathroom at the high school, but did not specify any of the schools in the district. It did, however, mention a specific time that has not been disclosed.

"It interrupted parents with their schedule, with their kids, the entire school staff, road department, firemen," Matrunics said. "The people making the threat don't understand the scale that this actually interrupts and what it does in a community."

It isn't the first time the district has dealt with a bathroom bomb threat; one was found in 2016, prompting low attendance for days.

"At this point, I fully expect that we will have school as scheduled tomorrow because we have been able to work with law enforcement to be able to determine the safety of the buildings," Oldham said.