Student suspected of calling in false school bus bomb threat

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Authorities are looking to identify a caller, most likely a student, who phoned in a false bomb threat to a school bus Tuesday morning.

According to detectives, Oak Hammock Middle School, located on Tice Street, received a phone call around 9 a.m. from a male caller who stated that Bus 2848 was headed to the school with a bomb on board.

As a precautionary measure, law enforcement and school administrators had the bus park at the very end of the school’s property upon its arrival at Oak Hammock Middle.  Students were evacuated from the bus and relocated to a nearby field, and each student’s belongings were searched before being allowed to go to their respective classes.

A full search of the bus was conducted by detectives, and no explosives were found.  However, the male caller responsible for making that false threat has yet to be identified.

“In all likelihood, the caller was a student who may have thought they were pulling a prank,” said Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers Coordinator.  “But students need to very clear that what they may have thought was funny is actually a felony crime, which will stick with them until they’re 24 years old.  That one foolish mistake could have a huge impact on their future as young adults, especially when they go to apply for jobs or colleges.  And the young man won’t consider it very funny when he gets his mugshot taken at the jail.”

Filing a false report of planting a bomb or explosive is a second degree felony.

Anyone with information on the male who phoned in the bomb threat is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).  All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.  Tips may also be made online at www.swflcrimestoppers.org or by texting a tip to CRIMES (274637) Keyword: REWARD.