Arrest made in school bomb threats

KENT COUNTY, Md. (WMAR) - Maryland State Police have charged a Kent County teenager in connection with a bomb threat last month that closed all county schools for the day.

Police charged the 15-year-old boy from Chestertown as a juvenile with 11 counts of threat of arson and 11 counts of disturbing school operations. After processing, he was released into the custody of his parents.

The investigation began on April 3, when a handwritten note was found by school officials on a side door of the Ken Middle School. The note said a bomb had been placed in the school and in all six other Kent County schools and they would detonate.

School officials immediately called police and began a reverse 911 operation to notify parents that schools would be evacuated and closed.

No explosive devices were found at any of the schools.

During the course of the investigation, information was developed that led to the identification of a possible suspect.

Investigators obtained handwriting samples from the suspect and forwarded them along with the original note to the forensic sciences lab. After examination, a handwriting expert confirmed the suspect was the person responsible for the writing on the bomb threat note.

Police are uncertain why the threat was made.