Two MHS Students Arrested for "Copycat" Bomb Reports

by Judy Silberstein

(March 20, 2008) Mamaroneck Village police arrested two 15-year-old male Mamaroneck High School students this week for making false reports of a bomb at the school on Friday, March 7. One of the boys was also charged with making a bomb threat. However, police believe the two were copycats who acted independently of each other and of whoever scrawled graffiti threats inside the high school on March 3, 4, 5 and 6 and at Hommocks on March 6. (See: Fifth Bomb Threat in 4 Days Evacuates MHS & Hommocks.)

Have Info? Call It In Mamaroneck Village: Call 777-7739 or 777-7728 with information regarding these incidents. Anonymous Tip Line: 381-6103 Or call the Mamaroneck Town Police alcohol tip line.

According to Lt. James Gaffney, spokesperson for the Mamaroneck Village police, one student was arrested on Monday, March 17 and charged with “falsely reporting an incident in the second degree” after posting “There is a Bomb in the school” on March 7 to a website frequented by MHS students.

The other was arrested on Tuesday, March 18 and charged both with false reporting and with making a terroristic threat. On March 7, he had written “Bomb at 11” on a wall in a boys’ bathroom at the high school.

All of the charges are felonies, but because of their age, no names were revealed and the students were released to their families. Further legal proceedings will be in Family Court.

Police were already in the building investigating the series of bomb threats that began on March 3 when they learned about the incidents that led to the two arrests.

Lt. Gaffney said Mamaroneck Village police are continuing to investigate the other threats at Mamaroneck High School. Lt. Detective Gerry McCarthy of the Mamaroneck Town police said his department’s investigation of the Hommocks threat from March 6 is continuing as well. Police have received some information from hot lines, but “none of it panned out,” said Lt. McCarthy. He encouraged anyone with information to call it in – anonymously or otherwise.

Although the school had been aware that police were pursuing a “person of interest” related to the March 7 threat in the boys’ bathroom, they only learned of the arrests on Wednesday morning, March 19. The school spokesperson, Joan Rosen, said, “We will begin disciplinary action under the code of conduct,” noting there are serious consequences for what is alleged. Possible consequences could be a lengthy suspension or even expulsion. She also stressed that the threat reported online did not involve a Mamaroneck School district website.

Ms. Rosen further explained that the strict security procedures in place starting on March 7 allowed the school to remain open despite the new incidents. Once the school had been thoroughly searched and deemed safe on March 6, under the new rules, “the administration would know that we would not be required to evacuate if another threat was found.” Entry to the school was restricted; every door was monitored; the campus was on “lockdown” status; backpacks were banned; and a police officer was assigned to each of the two wings of the facility.

Since then, security precautions at the schools continue, albeit somewhat scaled back after two weeks with no further threats. At the high school, students must still enter the building only through the two main doors, one on Palmer and the other on Post. However, students are once again allowed to use backpacks and to leave the campus and return at lunchtime and other free periods. Last Thursday, March 13, the PTSA discontinued its monitoring of the doors, which had involved over 100 volunteers.

Lt. Gaffney credited cooperation between the police and the district with allowing the school to function undisturbed. “It was determined that we had to take a proactive stance. The school administration along with faculty, parents and police all coordinated together as one to take control of the school to insure that the school was safe and that classes would not be interrupted during the day,” he said.

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