Teen arrested for making bomb threat

A 14-year-old Central Kitsap Junior High School student was arrested Thursday in connection with a threat the school received that morning. The school has received eight threats as of Friday, with a majority of them resulting in school evacuations, since Feb. 16. Prior to the student’s arrest, the school was evacuated at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Because it was an early release day, the students were sent home.

The arrest was in only connection with Thursday’s threat and CK administrators are uncertain if the juvenile was involved in the previous threats.

The school received another threat about noon on Friday which also resulted in an evacuation.

Friday’s threat was being investigated at press time.

As for the continuing investigation, parents are angry, administrators are frustrated and somewhere, some student knows something.

On Tuesday night, about 150 parents packed the school’s library to address theirs and their students’ concerns.

School Principal Barb Gilchrist, CK School District Superintendent Greg Lynch and Sheriff’s Det. Chad Birkenfeld fielded the parents’ questions and concerns. They also told the parents that the district and the KCSO are working together aggressively to find whomever is leaving the threats. Birkenfeld has put all his other cases on hold until the district and the KCSO can determine who is leaving the threats.

“Please know that it is as frustrating for me, the staff and the students here as it is for you,” Gilchrist said at the meeting.

She added that she was trying to keep the parents informed through a school newsletter that comes out every Friday and the district has written two letters home to parents. For parents who want to subscribe to receive the newsletter by email can go to schoolhousetalk.com.

The KCSO is offering a cash reward for anyone who comes forward with the information that leads to an arrest. Leaving bomb threats in a school is a felony.

“Talk to your kid,” Birkenfeld urged the parents. “It’s impossible, based on my school experience, that a kid can go through junior high with a secret like this. Some kid knows.”

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