Threat prompts lockdown

By Anna Koeppel

Published Aug. 31, 2007

Columbia Hickman High School went on lockdown for 20 minutes Thursday after administrators learned of a bomb threat typed on a school computer. No students were hurt in the incident and police have no suspects.

Columbia Police Captain Zim Schwartze said someone noticed the bomb threat on the computer screen after the writer had left the computer lab. Administrators were notified at about 11:50 a.m. The threat included the student's displeasure with the school and that he or she could blow it up, Schwartze said.

After administrators heard about the threat, they notified a school resource officer. The resource officer began an investigation into the threat and requested that other police officers assist him at the school, Schwartz said. The resource officer then went through the school's safety plan as a precaution.

"The resource officer and administrators didn't believe the bomb threat to be credible," Schwartze said. "But they locked the building down for 20 minutes according to the safety plan."

Schwartz said exterior doors were locked because, according to the safety plan, in the event of a threat, students are safer inside the building than outside. No one was allowed to leave the building until the lockdown was over.

Schwartz said the police do not yet have a suspect and did not know how the investigation will proceed. She said if the investigation were to continue, it would be a partnership between the school and police.

Schwartz said the punishment or charges would be determined after an investigation.

"It would depend on the threat and the intent," Schwartze said.

Parents were notified of the threat and lockdown through the Columbia Public Schools Web site.