The district first posted about the threat at 9:13 a.m. Tuesday. Franklin Police Chief Adam Colon said the bomb threat was called in at about 8:38 a.m. to Franklin High School by a male juvenile who said devices were placed outside the school campus.
Colon said Franklin officers and detectives responded, as did other law enforcement mutual aid partners such as Springboro police. He said a K-9 bomb-sniffing dog from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office came and swept the exteriors and the interiors of the school buildings at 750 E. Fourth St.
“We are furthering our investigation of the call to identify the suspect,” Colon said. “We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
Superintendent Michael Sander said students and staff from the high school, junior high, staff at the new bus garage, and construction workers were evacuated to nearby Gerke Elementary School. He said everyone was accounted for at the time of the evacuation.
Sander said the Butler County Bomb Squad swept the premises around the building for any explosives and then did a sweep of the interior of all the buildings but found nothing. After the buildings were cleared, the students were were sent back into the buildings to resume classes at 10:16 a.m.
“All students have been safely evacuated,” read a Facebook post. “We are asking that parents avoid the area to allow for the police and all other emergency personnel to assess the situation.”
“We appreciate the exemplary behavior of our students and the professionalism of our staff and their adherence to the safety protocols for this situation,” Sander said. “We are thankful to the personnel of the Franklin Police Department, Springboro Police Department and Butler County Sheriff Department who were on site and assisted with the incident.”
Colon said the incidents remain under investigation.
On social media, some parents were upset about the situation and had concerns about the district releasing where the students, staff and construction workers were evacuated to.
One parent, Nicole Graham posted what a lot of parents felt, “Nothing like a bomb threat towards my son’s school to send my PTSD into full swing. Us parents not only worry for our children, but for all of our children’s classmates and teachers. I truly don’t understand why people make fake bomb threats. Hug your babies a little tighter tonight guys this world is scary.”
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