Police probe bomb threat at Neshannock school

NEW CASTLE – Neshannock Township police are trying to identify the caller of a bomb threat against Neshannock High School in Lawrence County.

Police Chief John Rand said the call was placed around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday through the Lawrence County 911 center when school was not in session but employees were in the building. The police are investigating the call’s origin, and charges will be filed, he said.

The caller reportedly said he had placed a bomb in the high school. The police and school security officers made sure all employees left the building, according to a news release.

All of Neshannock’s schools were searched with the help of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department’s bomb-sniffing dog and three bomb-sniffing canines from the city of Pittsburgh that are part of the Region 13 Task Force.

Neshannock schools Superintendent Dr. Terence P. Meehan said the Lawrence County sheriff’s department, with help from the Pittsburgh police, conducted a scan and search of the school buildings Wednesday night and nothing was found.

Police reported that nothing was found in the search.

School district Superintendent Dr. Terence P. Meehan said that as a measure of precaution, the school district canceled in-person school Thursday and held classes virtually.

“It’s under an abundance of caution in this day and age that we went virtual today,” Meehan said. “We’re fortunately very virtual-ready here.”

He said he observed the district teachers were active in their classrooms Thursday morning and the students had a high participation rate.

“It’s nice to have that as a backup, but we look forward to being back here in person (on Friday),” he said.

Meehan sent out notifications to district parents of the incident Thursday morning, stating, “Although we have every reason to believe the facilities and campus are safe, out of an abundance of caution we will have a virtual instruction day today, … to provide for additional security scans of the facility and campus.”

“I commend the Neshannock Township police, the Lawrence County sheriff’s office and the Pittsburgh Police Department for their prompt and thorough response, assistance, and investigation throughout this incident,” Meehan said.