Student arrested in 2nd bomb threat scare

NORTH BERWICK, Maine - A second bomb threat in as many days was discovered at Noble High School on Wednesday, but this time quick work by the school resource officer led to the arrest of a juvenile in connection with the hoax.

The incident comes fast on the heels of a bomb threat on Monday that led to an evacuation of the school and a logistical nightmare for parents who didn't know where to pick up their children and other students who were unable to return to classrooms to get car keys, forcing them to leave their vehicles at the school overnight.

According to North Berwick Police Chief Stephen Peasley, Wednesday's incident unfolded around 12:30 p.m. when a student found a message on the same second-floor boys bathroom wall where a similar threat was scrawled on Monday.

He reported the incident to the school's resource officer and told of a student he'd seen leaving the bathroom shortly before he entered. The resource officer then interviewed that student, who confessed he'd written the note, Peasley said today.

The student, a ninth-grader at the school, was arrested and charged with criminal threatening, a Class D misdemeanor, and faces other school disciplinary action.

The student, who was not identified because of his age, denied he was responsible for Monday's scare.

That bomb threat was found scribbled in pencil on the same restroom wall near the end of the school day and caused the entire evacuation of the school and cancellation of all afternoon sports and Adult Ed evening classes.

It also forced parent to pick up high school students at Noble Middle School where they were bussed after the incident.

The suspect in Monday's incident will likely face felony charges since it caused an evacuation, Peasley said.

The student involved in Wednesday's hoax expressed sorrow for what he had done, Peasley added.