CUYAHOGA FALLS: Authorities were called in to check for an explosive device Friday at Cuyahoga Falls High School after a bomb threat was emailed to the school principal late Thursday night.
After conducting an extensive search, authorities found no explosive devices, Cuyahoga Falls Superintendent Todd M. Nichols said Friday morning.
“Everyone is safe and sound. They searched the building and found nothing,” Nichols said.
The school was closed Friday after Principal Anne Alfano received the threat in an email “after everybody was sleeping,” Nichols said.
“Thankfully, she checked her emails prior to coming in this morning,” he said. “We were able to close school so that we would not only ensure the safety of our kids, but the safety of our staff, as well.”
Nichols said when Alfano notified him at 6 a.m. and he immediately notified authorities and closed school for the day.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad, Cuyahoga Falls police and K9 units checked the school for explosives.
Normally, 1,800 people would be in the school on any given day, including students and staff members.
The email was specific to the high school, Nichols said. The threat stated “it was scheduled to detonate during school hours,” Nichols said.
The administrative staff and custodial employees accompanied the authorities as they “conducted a thorough search of the building,” he said.
Students were notified on the school’s Facebook page that afternoon spring sports activities would go on as scheduled and afternoon custodial staff would report for the regular 3 p.m. shift, Nichols said.
The email did not contain many specifics, Nichols said.
“I was a high school principal a long time before becoming superintendent,” he said. “So, I’ve been down this road a number of times. This particular email was essentially more well written although it didn’t give specifics.”
Authorities are tracing the email, Nichols said.
“The police department, sheriff’s [office] and the Secret Service are conducting an investigation,” into the source of the email, Nichols said.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
