Melvindale Police Chief Dan Jones (left) talks about the April 19 bomb threat at Melvindale High School during the April 19 City Council meeting, as Councilmembers Dawn Cartrette, Scott Frederick and Stan Filipowski, City Clerk Linda Land, City Administrator Rich Ortiz, Mayor Wheeler Marsee and City Attorney Larry Coogan listen.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – An all clear was declared at 2:45 p.m. April 19 after a noon bomb threat phoned in to Melvindale High School forced the evacuation of the school.
A male caller said a bomb had been placed inside the high school.
School officials evacuated students and staff to the outdoor athletic field bleachers, while Melvindale and Dearborn police and firefighters responded to the location and set up a perimeter.
Explosive detecting K-9 officers from Beaumont and the Wayne Metro Airport explosive units, along with their human counterparts, searched the perimeter and interior of the school.
After the all clear sounded, students were allowed to enter the high school to retrieve their belongings, after which they were dismissed for the day.
There was no school scheduled for April 20 and 21 due to the Eid holiday, so there is speculation that the caller might have been motivated to create an early dismissal situation.
While the source of the call will be investigated, it was not recorded, and could have been made from a burner cell phone, which would limit investigative options.
Anyone with information about the source of the bomb threat should contact the Melvindale Police Department at 313-429-1070, Ext. 1405.