Teen arrested for Colony bomb threat

PALMER -- A 16-year-old girl was arrested Wednesday afternoon at Colony High School and charged in connection with a bomb threat phoned to the school two days earlier.

Alaska State Trooper Derek DeGraaf said the girl was taken to juvenile intake. She was charged with second-degree terroristic threatening, a felony. Charges against two other girls believed involved in the incident also will be filed, he said, although they had not been taken into custody as of Wednesday.

DeGraaf said the school's offer of a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest provided quick help.

"Over five students named the same person and gave detailed information," he said.

The call came in about 9:50 a.m. Monday, troopers said. They responded immediately to the school, which was in lock-down mode as district policies require.

School staff members and troopers searched the building but no bomb was found. After about an hour, classrooms were opened again and students were allowed to leave for the day if they had parental permission.

Becky Stoppa's daughter, Amy, was among those who left for the day after the all-clear was given. Amy Stoppa said teachers received instruction to "sweep the room," which most students understood to mean a bomb threat had been made.

The girl's mother questioned why the district conducts a lock-down in bomb threat situations rather than evacuating students from the building.

"It had me concerned," Stoppa said.

Colony High principal Cyd Duffin said each situation must be evaluated to determine the best procedure. Not only does evacuating a school prompt more bomb threats from students, she said, but it may put students in danger if someone has a gun outside the school. Troopers and school officials worried about the latter possibility Monday, Duffin said.

"The troopers came right away, and they said 'you have adults in the parking lot with vehicles running,'" Duffin said. "In that situation, you don't want to have everybody leave and possibly end up getting shot as they go out the front door. The troopers said it was not smart to evacuate immediately."

Duffin said several sources contributed to the reward money that prompted tips.

Trooper DeGraaf said the perpetrator of a recent bomb threat at another Valley school was apprehended from student tips after school officials offered a $100 reward.

Contact Steve Kadel at steve.kadel@frontiersman.com.