By Michael V. Hannigan
Athens experienced its second bomb threat in as many weeks Wednesday morning.
Athens ISD evacuated students from all its campuses after receiving a threat that a bomb was at every campus, according to AISD officials.
AISD released the following statement as students were being moved:
The Athens Police Department received a call this morning from a person saying a bomb is at every campus.
While we have no reason to believe this is more than a terrible prank, we are taking it very seriously.
All students are being moved to safe locations. We ask that parents refrain from going to school campuses. This will cause traffic jams and unnecessary chaos.
Again, please do not go to campus. Will will follow-up with more information as soon as possible. All children are safe and in good hands.
We have sent a district-wide call out sharing this information.
AISD Communications Specialist Toni Garrard Clay said at last county, the school district had nearly 3,300 students spread across all its campuses. All students were evacuated by 11 a.m.
Many of the students were able to evacuate on foot, but the Middle School and the High School required busing. Students at South Athens and Athens Intermediate were able to evacuate on foot, but all other campuses required busing.
Students were evacuated to the following locations, where parents were able to pick them up:
- Bel Air students to the TVCC Cardinal Gym.
- South Athens to the First Christian Church.
- Athens Intermediate to the First Baptist Church ROC
- Athens Middle School to the Cain Center.
- Athens High School to Eastern Hills Church of Christ.
Clay said the district would be bringing in a bomb detection squad to search the campuses.
On Oct. 20, the Henderson County Courthouse was evacuated when a bomb threat was called in to the 173rd District Court around 8:30 a.m. The call was received by the bailiff. The caller said there was a bomb in the courthouse set to go off at 9 a.m.
The Sheriff’s Office immediately evacuated the building. Later, a bomb detection squad was brought in from Dallas and a bomb dog searched the courthouse, but nothing was found.
Police have cleared Athens High School of a bomb threat that caused students to be evacuated and had traffic congested as parents picked up their children.