Lockdown lifted at Barrow schools after bomb threat investigation

All lockdowns have been lifted in the Barrow County schools affected by Friday morning's bomb threat.

The Barrow County Sheriff's Office announced at 11:49 a.m. Friday that no suspicious devices or packages were found at any area schools, with all schools now returning to normal activities.

Schools in the county had been on soft lockdown since around 8:30 a.m. when bomb threats were received at several elementary schools and Apalachee High School.

Sheriff Jud Smith held a press conference at 12:30 p.m. Friday, addressing the incident and providing more details about the nature of the threats.

"A person was giving active threats at that time that there were bombs in the school, that they were going to detonate those bombs...they were also going to it outside the school and (said) that there were multiple firearms outside the school," Smith said. "Due to the nature of what the calls were, we called numerous K-9 and search groups and searched the school...All (the schools) have been searched at this time and we did not find a credible threat."

Smith condemned the threat, saying his office is now focused on finding the source of the phone calls. He said the situation was frustrating, coming less than a full year after the September, 2024 fatal shooting at Apalachee High School.

"It's heartbreaking. Give us a break. Give these kids and these parents and these loved ones a break," Smith said. "Whoever's doing this is a sick individual, and I'm going to throw every resource that I have at it to find out who they are and prosecute them to the fullest."

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Original Story published at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 2:

All schools in Barrow County are on lockdown as the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office investigates several bomb threats the school system has received. 

 

A release from the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said County Line Elementary School received a threat by phone at around 8:20 a.m. Within minutes, Yargo Elementary School,

Kennedy Elementary School, Winder Elementary School and Apalachee High School were placed on lockdown for similar threats. 

 

BCSO has multiple deputies stationed at every campus within the district, according to the release. There have been no evacuations. 

 

“The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, and law enforcement partners from other jurisdictions, are

actively conducting security sweeps at the affected schools,” The release said. “ Preliminary investigation has revealed that similar threats have been made at schools in other jurisdictions in recent days and  weeks.” 

 

The department asked that parents not go to the schools to pick up their children, as the investigation is active.