3/4/2008

Chattanooga fire investigators have arrested a student for making a bomb threat at the Howard School of Academics and Technology on Market Street.  The threat was made last Friday, February 29th, around noon.  Students and faculty at the middle school and high schools were forced out into the cold rain while members of the Chattanooga Police Department's Bomb Squad searched the buildings for explosive devices.  No devices were found, and after a two hour interruption of classes, the students and faculty were allowed back in the buildings. 

Lieutenant Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division immediately began an investigation that culminated in the arrest of a 16-year-old male student at the school around 1:00 p.m. today.  The student confessed to the crime, but it was not clear what motivated him to do it.  Lt. McElvain and fellow fire investigator Lt. Anthony Moore arrested the youth at the school, and then transported him to the Juvenile Detention Center for booking.  Lt. McElvain charged the youth with Reckless Endangerment and Making a False Report (e.g. bomb threat).  Both were filed as felony charges.

Lt. McElvain said school staff and the sheriff's department's school resource officers at Howard provided valuable assistance with the investigation.

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