A 14-year-old Tarkington High School student is facing a state jail felony charge after typing a bomb threat into a school computer. The incident occurred on the morning of Monday, Dec. 9, prompting a swift response from Tarkington ISD staff and law enforcement. According to Pct. 5 Constable David Hunter, the student had just finished testing in his classroom when he typed “I have a bomb” or “I’ve got a bomb” into a Google search window. The message triggered an immediate alert to the school’s IT staff, who notified authorities. Law enforcement, including school resource officers, constables, state troopers, and K-9 units, conducted a thorough search of the campus. No bombs or threats were found. The student was taken into custody, brought before Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace Wade Brown, and later released to his parents. “This is a state jail felony charge,” said Constable Hunter. “Parents, please talk to your kids about the times we are living in. They need to understand that making threats, even as a joke, has serious consequences.” Tarkington ISD Superintendent Dr. Elna Davis confirmed that the district acted quickly to ensure the safety of students and staff. “This morning we discovered a bomb threat message at Tarkington High School on one of the computers,” Dr. Davis stated. “Safety protocols were immediately initiated, which involved district and campus administration, district police, constables, and state troopers. We promptly evacuated students and staff, and conducted a detailed security sweep to prepare the students to safely return to campus. No bomb was found on campus. The student responsible for the threat was taken into custody.”
Dr. Davis emphasized the importance of discussing consequences with students. “An action taken in a few minutes without much thought can be regretted and have consequences far longer,” she said.
