A day after East Lycoming School District was closed due to a bomb threat, a similar threat was made at Lycoming Valley Middle School Friday.
The investigation led police to a 14-year-old female student at the school, who "confessed to the threat and stated that she acted alone," state Trooper T.R. Havens said late Friday afternoon.
"Criminal charges will be filed against the student. She also will face disciplinary action from the Williamsport Area School District," Havens said. The girl's identity was not released because she is a minor.
The threat was not deemed to be credible, but students and faculty were held in the school's gym while the building at 1825 Hays Lane in Loyalsock Township was searched. No device was found during the search and sweep of the building.
The threat was discovered written on a bathroom wall around 10 a.m., according to Greg Hayes, the school district's director of public relations.
"It was found by a student and they did the right thing and reported it to the office," Hayes said.
Neither Havens nor Hayes disclosed the wording of the threat.
Since the threat wasn't deemed as credible, school was not dismissed. State police did search the gym before moving faculty and students there while the rest of the building was being searched.
"We clear a space, make sure it's safe and big enough to hold the students," Hayes said.
Principal James Dougherty, along with city Patrolman Jason Bolt, the school's resource officer, and state police talked with students about the consequences of making such a threat. Classes then resumed with their normal schedule.
Parents and guardians were not immediately notified of the threat since the school was not evacuated, but they were later told.
"They were notified," Hayes said. "A message was sent home at the end of the day with the students."
Havens termed this latest threat as "an isolated incident," not related in any way with Thursday's event that shut down the East Lycoming School District. The investigation into that incident, led by Hughesville Borough Police, was ongoing.
Sun-Gazette staff writer Philip A. Holmes contributed to this report.
