Bomb Threat Causes Evacuation at Portsmouth High: Police

PORTSMOUTH, RI — A bomb threat at Portsmouth High forced students and staff to leave the building on Tuesday. The school was evacuated shortly after 1 p.m., police said.

State police, the bomb squad and local police went to the high school and swept the building for explosives. Nothing was found, according to Portsmouth Det. Lt. Matthew C. Arnold. He said school officials reported the situation to police around 1:19 p.m.

The students went outside to a safe area, police said. An administrator let them know the threat had been telephoned to several students.

Bristol and Middletown police also went to the school to help.

According to Assistant Schools Superintendent Thomas Kenworthy, the school district also notified parents about the situation and the likely possibility that buses would be delayed at the high school and at other Portsmouth schools as well.

Here is the statement.

Good afternoon Portsmouth parents and guardians. At about 1:30 this afternoon Portsmouth High School instituted an evacuation for all students and staff in response to a threat. At this time state and local police are on site conducting an investigation and checking the building. Until the building is cleared by authorities no students or staff will be able to enter. This will cause a delay in busing and dismissal procedures at the high school and possibly at all other schools. We will update when there is more information to share.

Patch is contacting police and school officials for updates. The police are asking anyone with information about the bomb threat to contact them.

Patch will update this story.