Even though it turned out to be a fake, officials took numerous precautions last week after a bomb threat was found at Oxford High School.
The written threat was ‘considered to be low level,? according to information provided by Principal Mike Schweig. The message indicated the school would be blown up on June 17.
Deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department were present at OHS June 17 in the morning as students arrived and in the afternoon as they left.
Classes and exams took place as scheduled. ‘Things went really well,? Schweig said. ‘We put all our precautionary measures in place.?
No backpacks were allowed inside the school while purses or bags were searched.
Students were only able to enter the building via the south parking lot doors or the north parking lot doors by the main office. Throughout the day, the doors were monitored.
‘We have been investigating several threatening type of messages over the last few days, which have been written in the girls restroom,? wrote Schweig in June 16 e-mail to this reporter. ‘We are not releasing much information as we have reported it to the police and it is an open investigation.?
Schweig indicated the first message was ‘not very specific and vague,? however it was reported to the sheriff’s department for investigation. Another message was found a few days later ‘referencing blowing things on the 17th,? but Schweig wrote again, there were no specifics.
A third message was found stating the school will be blown up June 17, but this time it was signed with a student’s name.
‘We interviewed the student and upon further investigation determined that this was a prank,? Schweig wrote.
On June 15, school officials received a report of another threatening message written in the girls restroom, but upon investigating it, none was found.
As a result of the threats, OHS teachers were asked to read the following message to their classes on Wednesday, June 16 ? ‘Making a false bomb threat is a felony offense and any person found to have made such a threat will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Also, we are offering a $500 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person found guilty of this crime.?
Exactly who penned the threat has not been determined as of June 22.
‘Because of the vagueness of the threat, it really hasn’t led us to anything,? Schweig said. ‘A reward is out there and that has produced some leads, but nothing’s been substantiated at this point.?