Harborview Elementary School was briefly evacuated at midday Friday following a bomb threat police say appears to be connected to others made elsewhere in Alaska during the school year.
Staff at Harborview Elementary School told the Juneau Police Department the threat was made by phone at about noon, according to a JPD press release. Both the elementary school and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé took preventative measures.
“JPD responded to the school and assisted staff with searching the building for explosive devices or threats; none were located,” the press release states. “Harborview Elementary was briefly evacuated to the back playground. JDHS briefly went into a stay-put to keep students inside the school and minimize activity outside until Harborview was cleared. After JPD cleared Harborview Elementary, both schools resumed normal activities.”
A safety update sent at 12:56 p.m. via the Juneau School District’s app stated “JPD has confirmed the phone message was sent from the number connected to the statewide threats made to communities earlier in the school year.” The JPD release states local police are working with the FBI in the case.
A dozen schools in other communities throughout Alaska received bomb threats in September. A Peruvian man was arrested later that month on suspicion of emailing such threats to more than 150 school districts, synagogues, hospitals and other locations throughout the U.S.
It was not immediately known if those cases are related to the ones referred to in the JPD press release.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
