False threat at school near Sequim 1 of many across country

CARLSBORG — Greywolf Elementary School near Sequim was evacuated Monday for a bomb threat, one of many schools around the country to be targeted, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.

Greywolf students were moved under Sequim School District policy to the Clallam County Fire District No. 3 training grounds just north of the school at 171 Carlsborg Road, Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King said.

A school official received an automated bomb threat phone call at about 12:15 p.m. The call did not identify the school.

“It sounded like it was computer-generated or recorded,” King said.

State Patrol investigators with four bomb-sniffing dogs found no evidence of a bomb, King said.

An all-clear signal was given at about 4:30 p.m.

An intelligence-gathering center reported that other schools around the state received similar threats, King said.

Bomb threats led to evacuations of students across the country in what was believed to be the latest example of “swatting” against schools, according to Associated Press reports.

Hoaxers in recent months have allegedly used proxy servers and other identity-disguising tools to anonymously threaten schools online or in phone messages with electronic voices to trigger police responses, according to the AP.

Threats on Monday led to the evacuation of schools in Washington, Colorado, Delaware, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Media outlets in the United Kingdom also reported evacuations, according to reports.

“It was pretty widespread,” Clallam County District No. 3 Assistant Chief Dan Orr said.

King said he was not aware of any other school in Clallam County being targeted.

“This will probably turn out to be a federal investigation,” King said.

Parents of Greywolf students were able to pick up their children from the District No. 3 training grounds.

Children who rode the bus to school were taken to Helen Haller Elementary School in Sequim and bussed home at the end of the school day.