Montrose - Daily Press

Katharhynn Heidelberg

Daily Press News Editor

DELTA — As the minds of the nation were on the Virginia Tech campus massacre, Delta found itself dealing with a bomb threat at its high school.

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The threat, which police later determined was unfounded, came by telephone just after the high school lunch period had ended.

“We evacuated the school,” Delta High’s Director of School and Community Relations John Jones said Wednesday. “We’re thankful it was only a threat.”

Delta Police Chief Richard Bacher said his department and members of the Delta County Sheriff’s Office responded to the school, on F and Pioneer Roads, and established a safe perimeter by 1:25 p.m., roughly 10 minutes after they were called. They carefully checked the entire building and vicinity, but found no bomb.

“Nobody was in danger,” Bacher said, adding he and other authorities felt confident the building was safe Wednesday.

“All the kids cooperated,” Delta Undersheriff Mark Taylor said. “Both agencies worked together. We were able to do what we needed to do to make the building safe.”

Jones said the cops’ sweep of the building was exhaustive. “That took some time. They checked everything, including lockers.”

The school evacuated its 600-plus students to the stadium after it was deemed a safe location. Jones said it’s potentially dangerous to have a fixed safe location during such incidents, because malefactors can then know where to lie in wait.

The decision was made to release classes early, at around 2:30 p.m. and to call buses in early as well. Parents were notified by their students upon release.

“Since we were evacuating from the building, we had to do it by cell phone. It was pretty difficult,” Jones said.

Care was taken to prevent traffic congestion near the school during the incident. Students who drove themselves to school were released 10 at a time, Jones said, while parents were directed to pick up students on F Road.

“Our staff was great,” Jones said. “We had staff directing traffic. Our staff really pitched in.”

Bacher also cited school staff, saying they did “an outstanding job in assisting us.”

Taylor said it was impossible to tell whether the bomb threat had been in some way motivated by Monday’s mass shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where 32 students and staff members died. Police say gunman Cho Seung-Hui committed suicide after his rampage.

“Virginia Tech’s on everyone’s mind right now,” Jones said. “It was on our minds, although our procedures were laid out well in advance and we followed those. If this would’ve happened two weeks ago, I think this (response) would’ve happened the same.

“But because of the national event, it makes everybody’s hearts kind of skip a beat whenever this happens close to home.”

Colorado is also marking a grim anniversary Friday, when it will be eight years since teen killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold slaughtered 13 people at Columbine High School in Littleton.

Jones said Delta High followed standard emergency procedures during Wednesday’s incident. “Our procedures work; it’s just at this time, there’s a heightened awareness. Around high schools, this is always a risky time (because of proms and graduations),” he said. “It’s thankful that nothing was there.”

Bacher said police may know who was responsible for the threat. “We do have suspect information. We are conducting an investigation.”

He added in a news release that steps are being taken to monitor incoming calls. All necessary follow-ups will be performed during the course of the investigation.

Calling in a bomb threat is chargeable as a felony, even in cases where there is no bomb.

Jones said the school intends to pursue charges against any suspects identified and if the person or persons responsible is a student, expulsion hearings are possible.

Classes were set to resume as scheduled Thursday. Jones said counseling staff and a psychologist will be on hand for students who are worried.

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