CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A bomb threat against B. M. Williams Primary School, where a controversial "Satan Club" meeting was held last week, was made Tuesday morning.
“I was just very scared, and I just wanted to get here and make sure he was safe and that the rest of his classmates were safe,” parent Gillian said of her son Harrison who is in kindergarten.
No bombs were found during a sweep of the school, but it was enough to panic parents who rushed to pick up their kids.
“I just want to get my child and go home,” said parent Shanita Rheubottom.
Parent Lessley Young left work to get her son Sincere who is in the second grade.
“I was scared. I was nervous,” Young said. “I was trying to get here as fast as I could, so I can get more information about what was going on.”
The unsettling news caused some chaos and confusion as parents waited for their children.
“It’s just been very crazy,” said Brad Biernat who was picking up student. “Back and forth, I’ve stood in three lines to pick her up.”
“I just want to get my daughter. This is ridiculous these are children,” a mom of a student at B.M Williams Primary says she and other parents have no choice but to wait as police conduct a lockdown investigation following a bomb threat made to the school @WTKR3 pic.twitter.com/zYSFzDoEsx
— Danielle Saitta (@DSaittaNews) February 21, 2023
News 3 was forwarded an email that was originally sent to WTVR, our sister station in Richmond. In addition to the school, the threat was also made towards a Satan Club volunteer, a Senior Staff Attorney for ACLU of Virginia, and the Chesapeake Schools Superintendent.
The threat called the primary school "evil," and accused it of promoting "devil worship."
The sender then said that they would set the bombs off once everyone is evacuated.
“Just really sad that that’s where we are right now is that a primary school with such young children could receive a threat like this,” said Gillian, a parent.
During police's search of the school, two explosive detection K9s alerted on a backpack located in a classroom.
A Virginia State Police x-ray of the backpack found it to be empty. No other objects were located in the school, according to police.
“It’s definitely a nerve-racking situation,” said parent Dinasia McLaughlin.
At the school, around 11 a.m., children could be seen exiting from the back entrance in a single file line during a mandatory evacuation.
The school also went into lockdown. Five-year-old kindergarten student Harrison said he waited inside the gym.
“Police and firemen were checking the whole school,” he said. “I wasn’t scared but I was just talking to my friend Luna.”
Students had an early dismissal at 12 p.m. and all after school activities have been canceled.
In a message to B.M. Williams Primary School families sent out at 11:30 a.m., Director of Communications Chris Vail said "Unfortunately, the building assessment is taking longer than initially anticipated. As a result, we will have an early dismissal at 12:00 p.m. today and all after school activities will be canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."
During the evacuation process, many concerned parents arrived at the school's entrance.
Parents at B.M. Williams Primary School in #Chesapeake are still picking up their children following a lockdown. This - after police were called for a bomb threat made to the school. Fire officials say a sweep of the school found nothing. @WTKR3 https://t.co/m3U5xunFlx pic.twitter.com/TpR7VuQfvW
— Antoinette DelBel (@AnnieDelBel) February 21, 2023
One mom at the school says it’s shameful that kids in Hampton Roads have been subject to such violence recently when they should be able to learn safely in school. She has even considered homeschooling.
“The kids have nothing to do with all of this, so I don’t understand why things have to keep happening at schools,” said parent Shanita Rheubottom.
A motive for the threat is uncertain but language in the email appears to give reference to an After School Satan Club which recently held a meeting at the school.
Chesapeake Fire Marshals, Chesapeake Police, and the FBI will continue working to investigate the source of the threat.
The FBI released the following statement around 3:30 p.m.:
"The FBI is aware of the bomb threat received by BM William’s Primary School. The FBI takes all potential threats seriously and we regularly work with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility. As always, we would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious to report it to law enforcement immediately. The Chesapeake Fire Marshall’s office is the lead investigative agency”.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
