Horry County police arrested three students after an investigation into five bomb threats made at St. James High School, Sgt. Robert Kegler said in a press release Wednesday.
Also Wednesday, Myrtle Beach police investigated a bomb threat made at about 8:30 a.m. at Myrtle Beach High School, Capt. David Knipes said in a separate press release.
The threat was found written on a wall, but it was not clear what was written or where the threat was found, Knipes said. Students were evacuated as a safety precaution and classes resumed later.
The three arrests at St. James came after Horry County police began investigating five bomb threats made at the school during the last two weeks, Kegler said.
None of those arrested were charged with making bomb threats, Kegler said.
Horry County police arrested Ashley Snyder, 17, a St. James High School student, on a charge of disturbing schools after authorities said she posted on Facebook during a bomb threat at the school Tuesday.
Kegler said Snyder posted “Time to die” on her Facebook page while students evacuated the school and headed to the football field during the school’s fourth bomb threat in the last 15 days.
Snyder was taken to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center after her wall post concerned students, parents and faculty, Kegler said in the release.
The arrest was made as a result of a separate incident that occurred during the initial investigation of Tuesday’s bomb threat but was not related to the threat itself, Kegler said.
Police also arrested Tirrell Allen Lance, 18, of Myrtle Beach.
He is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center with charges pending against him, Kegler said.
Lance was arrested in connection with locating the note, tampering with evidence and misleading detectives in an effort to obstruct the investigation, Kegler said.
Police also arrested Clinton James Welch, 18, of Myrtle Beach on a charge of disturbing schools. He is being held at J. Reuben Long Detention Center.
During the investigation, Welch became disruptive and was restrained, Kegler said. At this time, it is not clear as to whether any of the three listed suspects are directly tied to any of the bomb threat incidents and detectives continue their investigation.
Kegler said anywhere from five to 10 officers respond to these bomb threat incidents depending on whether school was in session or out at the time.
Responding to the threats requires other officers to answer calls at the stations, re-route officers from other cases and bring out the bomb squad, which is not their primary job, Kegler said.
The most recent threat was made Tuesday morning when a note was found about 8:30 a.m. inside a bathroom at St. James High School indicating there was a bomb in the school, Kegler said in the news release.
The note stated: “I’m going to bomb St. James Tues. Dec. 13, 2011 9:00am Get out or Die!!!”
The threat was located in the same bathroom as two of the previous threats were found, Kegler said. Students were evacuated and taken to the school’s football field while Horry County police searched the school.
On Dec. 1, the Horry County police bomb squad searched the school, but did not find anything after writing was found in a bathroom, Kegler said. The words: “School better be out Dec 1 and Dec 2 or you will all die” were found written on a bathroom wall late Nov. 30.
Nothing was found during the search, Kegler said.
Bomb squad members also searched the school on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 after threats were found written on the walls of that bathroom, Kegler said.
A custodian of the school met officers and said while cleaning the bathroom at the school he saw writing on a wall that stated: “I’m going to bomb this school on November 30, 2011.”
Nothing was found during those searches.
Anyone with information about these incidents can call St. James High School at 650-5600 and ask to speak to the school resource officer.
Staff writer Janelle Frost contributed to this report.
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