Saturday, April 29, 2000
Student charged after bomb threat
Lakota official says sophomore admits writing letter
By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer Contributor
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP — A 17-year-old Lakota East High School sophomore has been charged with inducing panic and faces expulsion from school for allegedly writing a bomb threat letter found by school officials April 14.
The boy was arrested at school Friday morning after he admitted writing the letter when questioned by school officials, said Jon Weidlich, spokesman for Lakota Schools. He remains in the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center, said Brad Kraemer, public information officer for the Butler County Sheriff's Department.
An arraignment hearing on the fifth-degree felony charge is set for Monday in Butler County Juvenile Court, court officials said.
“We were relieved to know we were dealing with a prankster instead of a terrorist,” said Curtis Philpot, assistant principal at Lakota East. “He said there was no bomb, that it was just a prank. He admitted it was not a smart thing to do.”
The Enquirer is not naming the boy because he is a juvenile.
School officials got their break when an English teacher looked at the handwriting on the original note and thought it looked like that of one of her students, Mr. Philpot said. She showed him papers the student had written and Mr. Philpot confronted him.
School officials searched the school and found no bomb. A fire dril was conducted at the time the bomb was supposed to go off. Security has been beefed up.
An announcement regarding the bomb threat was made at school and Principal Ruth Barber sent notes home with students telling parents about the incident.
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