Though bus bomb scare false, sheriff, schools react
While reports of a possible bomb threat on Knox County School bus 933 turned out to be false, Knox County Sheriff’s Officers investigated the incident Tuesday, Feb. 1.
Farragut Middle and High school students were being driven home from school when, according to a KCSO report, an unnamed individual stated “someone had a water bottle that made a loud noise due to a buildup of pressure within the bottle and sounded like a bomb going off.”
The bus then parked along Brooklawn Street, near the intersection with South Campbell Station Road, where the students were disembarked and KCSO and school officials were both notified.
A K9 unit and about a half-dozen officers were dispatched to the scene, and two sections of Brooklawn Street were blocked off while students were distanced from the bus.
“K9-Trip did not alert to any ordnance on the vehicle,” the report stated. “A thorough inspection of the vehicle was completed and nothing unusual was discovered.”
“As a precaution, the bus was evacuated as law enforcement and school security investigated a possible threat,” KCS spokesperson Carly Harrington stated via e-mail. “School administration was on-site and another bus picked up the students and resumed its normal route. The threat was found not to be credible.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of our
families as we worked to ensure the safety of our students,” the KCS report further stated.
“We understand situations like this incident can cause initial confusion and can be frustrating,” Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler said. “We always take any threat seriously.
“As always, we appreciate the cooperation of the bus contractor, school officials and parents. I am proud of
the quick response and thorough investigation by our KCSO personnel.”
