Two 14-year-old students have been charged with making bomb threats against Methuen High School over the weekend, police said Monday.
The district is one of three Massachusetts school systems that announced investigations into threats following the deadly school shooting in Georgia on Wednesday.
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There were two threats made against Methuen Public Schools over the weekend, according to police. The teens were charged in the second, which was discovered on Sunday. Police said this threat was made on social media against Methuen High School. It was reported by students and parents.
The first suspect, identified as a 14-year-old student at the high school, was arrested at their home and charged with threatened use of explosives, causing disruption of a school. The teen, who was not identified due to their age, was held on a $10,000 cash bail and is expected to be arraigned at Essex County Juvenile Court, Lawrence Session.
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The second suspect, also identified as a 14-year-old high school student, will be summonsed at a later date on the same charge.
The first threat, discovered on Sept. 7, concerned the Timony Grammar School. Investigators said that the person who made that threat was a student at the school, which includes pre-K up to eighth grade. After determining that the student had neither means nor opportunity to carry out a threat, the matter was referred to school officials for potential disciplinary action.
Both threats were deemed "not credible," investigators said, but authorities conducted a sweep of the high school as a precaution.
"I want to reiterate the severity of threats such as these. The disruption that these threats cause brings unwarranted fear and anxiety to those across the community," said Methuen Police Chief Scott McNamara in a media release. "Those found responsible will face significant legal consequences. While these threats were not deemed credible, it does not lessen the serious impact they have had across our community. Our priority is and will remain, the safety of our community."
There were also school threats reported in Dedham and Raynham over the weekend.
Security expert Todd McGhee told NBC10 Boston over the weekend that the timing of these threats, at the start of the school year, serves as a reminder that all schools should take a look at their response protocols. Every threat is now being approached as a real active shooter situation which requires manpower and aid from neighboring departments.
There will be extra police patrols on Monday.
