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The Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police Tuesday afternoon were investigating a bomb threat that was called into Rockbridge County High School.
A recorded message stating that there was a bomb in the school came to the RCHS main office just before noon Tuesday. The high school was evacuated following the call, and bomb dogs were brought in to sweep the school.
The same recorded message was sent to at least five other schools in Virginia and Maryland. As of 2 p.m., no explosives had been found, but RCSO Deputy Chief Tony McFaddin told The News-Gazette that the plan was to continue searching the school through the afternoon. Three bomb dogs were deployed to RCHS to search, and McFaddin said the county was waiting on more bomb dogs to assist with the search, but with so many other bomb threats being called in, it was unclear if additional dogs would be available.
If no other dogs could be utilized, the three currently at the high school would take breaks to rest then continue the search through the afternoon for any potential threats.
Students and staff were initially evacuated to the athletic stadium after the bomb threat was received. Then student drivers were allowed to leave and buses were brought in to take students home early. After-school activities, including games, were cancelled for the day.
In a mid-afternoon Facebook post, Rockbridge County Public Schools noted that all students and staff were safe, and that the “State Police and Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office will be thoroughly investigating this potential hoax.”
Superintendent Phillip Thompson said late Tuesday afternoon that unless he is informed otherwise by police, school would be back in session today, Wednesday.
