According to Steve Stanford, Bridgeport Police Department assistant chief, a student came forward Monday and told a school staff member that a 15-year-old male student had threatened to "kill several students while at school and place bombs throughout the facility sometime in February of 2010." The student said the suspect threatened to "arm himself with guns and homemade grenades," according to police.
The student who alerted school personnel about the threat did so on the same day that the school was participating in "Rachel's Challenge," a program created to honor the memory of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. The program is meant to motivate students to bring about positive change.
"The threats took place a few weeks before" the complaint was made, Stanford said. "We took the complaint seriously."
After interviewing the student who made the complaint and two other students who witnessed the threat, police interviewed the suspect.
"He did admit to making the comments," Stanford said. "He said he was being bullied at school and was trying to scare them."
Witnesses said the suspect claimed to have plans about the murders on his computer. Stanford said the suspect and his parents have cooperated with investigators, and the boy's computer was seized. The computer will undergo forensic analysis to search for evidence of plans for the attack.
Stanford said there had been rumors of a "death list" floating around in the community, but he said police did not find any such list or weapons.
But Stanford said police did find evidence that the suspect was at least planning something.
"He had definitely done some planning," Stanford said. "Was he really going to do it or just threatening? Only he knows that."
Terroristic threat is a third-degree felony. The case will be forwarded to Wise County Juvenile Probation and the Wise County District Attorney for review.
Bridgeport Superintendent Eddie Bland said the suspect was automatically suspended for three days, and other disciplinary action would be taken.
"Although I can't speak to this specific case, in general, there would be some sort of DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Program) assignment," Bland said.
He added that the school takes any threat of violence seriously.
"The safety of our students is a priority for us," he said. "We take this very seriously."
