Farmin Stidwell receives false bomb threat

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

A bomb threat that resulted in the evacuation of Farmin Stidwell Elementary on Monday afternoon proved to be a hoax perpetuated by a robocall.

According to Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon, police confirmed that there was no danger or bomb threatening the elementary school. After school staff received the threat, police evacuated the building and conducted a room-by-room sweep of the school but found nothing out of place.

However, the bomb threat was far from an isolated incident. Coon said threats have been popping up around the country, with schools in Washington, Utah, Oregon, Colorado and other states among the list. Spokane County, for instance, also received a threat to Sunset Elementary School. Ochoa Elementary in Pasco, Wash., received a threat as well.

Coon said the threats are all similar in nature. In the case of Farmin Stidwell, an automated robocall featuring a male voice stated there was a detonator and explosives in the school, which would explode if police arrived.