Bomb Threat Is A Hoax
Panola County sheriff’s deputy Steve McClarty (left) and his trusty K-9, Kantor, assisted local law enforcement officials at the Coffeeville High School after a bomb threat was reported Monday morning. Other law enforcement officials searching the school after students and faculty were bused to another location included (from right) Yalobusha County Chief Deputy Jerry Ferguson, Coffeeville Police Chief Mark Martin and Coffeeville police officer Larry Tritt. – Photo by David Howell
By David Howell
Editor
COFFEEVILLE – A bomb threat was dispelled Monday at Coffeeville High School after the building was searched by a K-9 from neighboring Panola County.
Coffeeville Police Chief Mark Martin reported that the threat was made during an anonymous phone call that came to the school mid-morning Monday reporting a bomb, similar to another threat at the school earlier in the year. Students and faculty members were bused to the gym as Martin and Coffeeville officer Larry Tritt secured the high school and waited for the K-9 to arrive. Yalobusha County Chief Deputy Jerry Ferguson and deputy Jim Bailey also assisted at the scene. Volunteers from Velma Fire Department responded as a precaution.
A lone backpack in the middle of the hall prompted some suspicion after officers spotted it as the school was cleared before the K-9 arrived. Officials later surmised it had been dropped during the hasty exit as the students were evacuated. The Panola K-9, Kantor, and his handler, Panola County deputy Steve McClarty, were on the scene within an hour and searched the building before it was cleared for classes to resume.
Kantor was purchased last year by the South Panola School District in Batesville through a school safety grant and works with the Panola County Sheriff’s Depart-ment and Batesville Police Department. He is trained to sniff out explosives and for search and rescue missions.
Martin urged anyone with information about the incident to contact his department at (662) 675-2411. The Yalobusha County Crime Stoppers will also pay up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction for this and other crimes in the contact. Call (662) 473-2722 to report a tip to Crime Stoppers and remember, authorities don’t want your name, just your information.
