UPDATE: 11:28 a.m.
Moments before students were escorted back into Athens High School around 10:30 a.m. Monday, authorities discovered the bomb threat they were responding to originated out of a note in a girl’s restroom.
During second period, at about 9 a.m., a student found a note in the bathroom and brought it to the principal's office.
Students were then moved to "safe locations outside of the building" while authorities — of The Plains volunteer fire department and Sheriff's office — arrived on the scene to investigate, said Tom Gibbs, the Athens City School District's associate superintendent.
Authorities did a sweep of the building and "we started viewing video and started piecing things together, you know, where the note was found," Gibbs said. "Pretty quickly we identified a suspect. The Sheriff's (office) interviewed the suspect and that person admitted to making a false threat."
Gibbs said the suspect faces "serious" charges, noting that the false threat was a violation of both state and federal law.
"It could range anywhere to inducing panic to being in violation of federal laws related to homeland security. That is a determination that will be made by the prosecutor in conjunction with the sheriff's (office)."
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn referred all comment to the Sheriff’s Office, which said its first public statement would come in the form of a news release. Interim Replacement Sheriff Rodney Smith is expected to send the release to media sometime Monday.
Gibbs, who made a robocall to parents and others on the district’s calling list, described the scene outside the school as "fairly" calm.
"The whole thing didn't last very long. I made my first call at 9:07 a.m. That's when we found out. And I made my final call regarding this ... at 10:30 a.m., when students were beginning to go back into the school."
Gibbs said classes would go on today "as best as possible, given the circumstances."
Original post:
The Athens County Sheriff's office is investigating a bomb threat at the Athens High School, according to a news release from the Athens County Public Information Office.
"All students are safe! Parents are asked NOT to come to the school, stay home and please listen for further information," the release stated.
More information is expected to be forthcoming.
— Staff reports
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