Wednesday, December 17, 2014
CAMPBELL
Campbell schools are in session today after a bomb scare at Memorial High School on Tuesday cut short a junior varsity game between Campbell Memorial and Brookfield and caused the varsity game to be canceled.
The varsity game is scheduled for 7 p.m. today at Memorial High School, said schools Superintendent Matthew Bowen.
Memorial High School was cleared of the bomb threat less than an hour after a male caller told police at 5:53 p.m. that he had placed a bomb in the high school, said Campbell Mayor William J. Van Such.
The building was evacuated and Brookfield players, cheerleaders, students and fans were transported to the Campbell K-7 School, which is about two miles from the high school, where they could be picked up be their families, Bowen said.
He said Campbell police and fire personnel, the Youngstown City Police Bomb Squad and police dog units from Youngstown State University, Kent State University and Brimfield Police Department searched the school and vehicles in the parking lot for explosives.
Police are using a tape of the call to determine where it came from and who made it, VanSuch said.
Bowen praised and thanked Campbell and Brookfield athletes, fans and residents for their “incredible understanding and cooperation.”
“We don’t take these things lightly and we have protocols in place to ensure the safety and welfare of students and everybody else. In this day and age, you can’t always have both safety and convenience, and the people understood this,” he said.
Bowen also praised Campbell police and fire personnel and other departments for their quick and professional response.
Bowen, who has been at Campbell schools for two years, said in talking with more veteran staff and board members, they don’t recall a bomb threat in recent years.
“These are not typical events in this district,” he said.