Bomb Threat Over, Investigation Begins

STAFFORD, Va. — It’s the day after a bomb threat disrupted life for students, teachers, and parents at Rodney Thompson Middle School.

Now that bomb sniffing dogs have cleared the scene and classes are back in session at the Stafford County school, the investigation is underway into who threatened to bomb the school.

The Stafford County Fire Marshall’s office and sheriff’s department are doing their part in investigating into what led up to the scare. Authorities won’t say how the bomb threat was reported, but fire and rescue personnel arrived at the school at 75 Wapole Street about 11 a.m. Tuesday after being alerted by 911 dispatchers. After assessing the scene, it was time to move the students out of the building.

“Anytime we have a bomb threat we’re going to start evacuating the schools,” said Stafford fire and rescue spokesman Mark Doyle. “In the fire and rescue department, our first priority is life safety.”

Military bomb sniffing dogs, as well as K9s from Manassas Park police were brought to the scene. They detected what they thought could have been an explosive device inside a student locker, but no threat was found, said Doyle.

After the initial evacuation, with students waiting outside of the building in temperatures above 80 degrees, school officials ordered the relocation of Thompson Middle School students to nearby North Stafford High School where they were able to use restrooms and eat lunch.

At least one student was taken to a local hospital suffering a condition that did not appear to be life threatening, and a few other students were also medically evaluated on the scene, added Doyle.

It’s not clear who called in the threat as investigators are releasing few details on the case.

Following the arson of a school bus at Stafford’s Ferry Farm Elementary School last month, fire officials asked the public for help in identifying who was behind the blaze and then quickly made arrests. Doyle said he’s hoping for the same turn of events here and urges anyone with information on this case to contact Stafford County Crime Solvers.