Warren Central Junior High in Vicksburg, Miss., was evacuated today after a student approached school authorities and told them a fellow student had shown him a “homemade IED.” The Clarion-Ledger reports that two male students were detained after a suspected bomb was found in a book bag on school property.
Clarion-Ledger reporter Therese Apel live-tweeted the events of the day as they unfolded.
Clinton bomb squad is en route. McComb and Vicskburg/ Warren School District police are lead on the investigation. Warren Co. assisting.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Vicksburg chief Walter Armstrong said a 13-year-old is in custody- a possible IED was found in the Warren Junior high school library.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: "The success comes from the courage of another student to tell school officials something wasn't right as it relates to the IED."
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
PLEASE NOTE: Most school bomb threats, there is not an actual device found. In this case, there IS something, whatever it is.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: The 13-year-old student showed the alleged IED to another student, who was the one who reported the information.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: Everyone has gotten out without injury. Authorities in search mode at this time to insure there aren't other possible explosives.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: Also investigating to see if others were involved in the situation. At this time too early to tell what charges will be pressed.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Incident at Warren Jr. High began around noon, officials said, when they got the call of the bomb threat.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: Bomb-sniffing dog found the alleged IED in the library of the school. Officials still sweeping the building.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: There has been a second arrest. Age of second suspect not yet available.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Armstrong: At this point too early to know if there could continue to be more arrests, but interviews ongoing with students.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
FYI: I have never worked a story where there was an ACTUAL alleged explosive device in an actual bomb threat in an actual school.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
We're monitoring the situation & providing @FBI Agent Bomb Techs & resources to assist Warren Co authorities, who are leading investigation.
— JPackPIO (@JPackPIO) December 9, 2015
.@FBIJackson assisting Warren County Deputies and Vicksburg Police with a suspicious device. pic.twitter.com/dO485P6laZ
— JPackPIO (@JPackPIO) December 9, 2015
So they're about to render the device safe. You might hear a noise. https://t.co/HGYvXdlRAp
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Word is the device in the Warren Junior High School has been "rendered safe."
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
Suspicious Package has been rendered safe by ClintonPD and @FBIJackson. Working w/@ATF and VPD to clear school & return to school district.
— JPackPIO (@JPackPIO) December 9, 2015
FBI: The Clinton PD bomb squad and FBI bomb tech recovered the suspicious device, brought it outside with a robot and rendered it safe.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
FBI: We have swept the school and and turned it back over to the school district.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 9, 2015
VICKSBURG BOMB SCARE: I'm told authorities executed a search warrant on the home of one of the students detained in Vicksburg today.
— Therese Apel (@TRex21) December 10, 2015
Vicksburg Chief of Police Walter Armstrong praised the concerned student for having the courage to come forward and report the incident so that the school could be evacuated and the device investigated.