Utica police look into report of bomb threat at school

UTICA – Utica police are investigating a bomb threat reportedly made against Utica High School on Thursday afternoon.

North Fork Local Schools Superintendent Scott Hartley said Thursday evening: “We had a potential bomb threat, written on paper, and left at the main front offices at the doors.”

Bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in and the school was declared safe before 5 p.m. Thursday, he said.

Hartley said it’s believed the note was dropped by a student, “but in today’s society, we’re not going to take any chances.”

He said he was notified of the threat by 1:34 p.m. Thursday and students and staff were all out of the building minutes later.

The school’s emergency plan was enacted and buses called for early dismissal while the situation was investigated. As soon as buses were called, a call also was sent out to parents alerting them to the situation, Hartley said.

Students are not scheduled to be in class Friday because of a staff professional development day, but Hartley said students can come in between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday to pick up any personal items left in the rush to evacuate the building.