Bomb threat suspect arrested

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — The arrest of a middle school pupil who police think used a portable radio to make a bomb threat Friday may deter others from committing the crime in the future, a police officer said.

Police Officer Frank Tempesta said a male pupil who attended Reserve Junior High (the former Western Reserve High School) is accused of making the bomb threat to East Junior High on South Street near Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital about 7:50 a.m.

The threat forced authorities to evacuate East during a hard rain, causing most of the pupils to get soaked, Tempesta said.

The school was checked, and pupils were allowed to return to the building, but the disruption forced many parents to bring dry clothes to their children, Tempesta said.

Police found the radio used in the threat and arrested the person they think used it later Friday morning, police said.

The male was charged with inducing panic, a juvenile felony, and is in the Trumbull County Juvenile Justice Center, Tempesta said.

East was the target of several bomb threats last year, Tempesta said, and the perpetrator was caught about half the time.