The Munford Police Department has arrested a 16-year-old juvenile in connection with the false bomb threat that placed Munford High School on lockdown Thursday morning, the department announced Thursday evening.
The threat was sent by email to Munford Police Chief Randal Baskin and other department employees at 11:03 a.m. Thursday, according to a copy of the email obtained by Paper Folds News.
It contained threats of violence and claimed two pipe bombs had been planted in lockers at the school.
Officers responded to the school and worked with administrators to secure students and staff.
As a precaution, students were evacuated from the building and moved to a safe location outside while officers investigated. After clearing the building, police determined there was no credible threat and allowed students and staff to return.
Police said Thursday evening that detectives, working in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, identified the individual believed responsible for the threat. Officers subsequently responded to the juvenile’s residence and took the juvenile into custody without incident.
The juvenile has been charged with threatening to commit an act of mass violence on school property, a Class E felony under Tennessee law, and will be held at a juvenile detention facility pending a court hearing, police said.
Police credited their detectives and officers, the Department of Homeland Security, and several law enforcement partners, including the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office, Atoka Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Constable Curtis Mayo, for what they called a quick and thorough response.
Baskin said in the department’s earlier statement Thursday that the department takes all threats against schools seriously and would continue investigating the origin of the false report.
“Making a false report of an emergency is a serious offense and can result in criminal charges,” Baskin said.
In the department’s statement announcing the arrest, Baskin added: “While this threat was determined to be unfounded, threats of this nature create fear, disrupt our schools, and require a significant law enforcement response. We will not tolerate this behavior.”
The department thanked Munford High School administrators, faculty, students and parents, as well as responding law enforcement personnel, for their cooperation during the incident.
This story has been updated with the arrest announced Thursday evening.
Paper Folds News will continue to update this report as additional details become available, including information on any court proceedings.
Source: Munford Police Department Facebook posts and an email obtained by Paper Folds News