Princeton High Evacuated Due to Bomb Threat (Updated)
At 10:13 a.m. on Tuesday, an unknown person called Princeton High School and claimed there was a bomb in the school.
The school was evacuated and police were at the scene searching the area. Students at the other schools in the district sheltered in place while the incident was being investigated.
As of about 12:45 p.m., students were allowed to return to class after police deemed the school safe. Many students missed lunch because of the incident. The students spent more than two hours outside on the artificial turf waiting for the go ahead to return to the building.
The school district received several “swatting” phone calls last year. Callers claimed there were bombs or shooters at the school, but the calls were a hoax.
Following is the letter sent to parents, staff and students Tuesday afternoon by Superintendent of Schools Steve Cochrane:
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff and Students,
Today, October 11, 2016, around 10:15 a.m., the Princeton Police Department received a phone call that there was a bomb in a classroom at Princeton High School. High school students and staff were immediately evacuated to the athletic fields. All other schools in the district were directed to shelter in place.
The police department performed a thorough sweep of the building with the aid of three K9 units. Police completed their investigation and issued an all-clear at 12:34 p.m. PHS students were allowed to return to their classrooms, and the shelter in place was lifted for the elementary schools and John Witherspoon Middle School.
We are grateful for our staff and students for their calm response to a difficult situation. Our students’ safety remains our top priority, and we will work closely with the Princeton Police Department to identify the source of this threat.
Dismissal will proceed as normal this afternoon, as will after-school activities.
Thank you for your patience and continued support.
Sincerely,
Steve Cochrane
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.