4 Bomb Threats Sent By 12-Year-Old To Montgomery HS, Oak View ES

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County Police have identified a 12-year-old as the person responsible for making multiple bomb threats targeting Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville and Oak View Elementary School in Silver Spring.

Montgomery County Public Schools received threats by email on Oct. 13, 16, and 23, concerning Montgomery High and a similar email on Oct.15 about Oak View Elementary.

With the help of MCPS IT staff, police identified the 12-year-old as the person who sent the four bomb threats. Investigators spoke with the child, who admitted sending the threatening emails. In Maryland, children 13 and under can only be charged if an offense is considered a "crime of violence," according to police.

"It is disheartening to accept that the individual responsible for disrupting the educational process and instilling fear in our community was well aware of the legal limitations surrounding their age," Police Chief Marcus Jones said, in a statement released Wednesday morning. "They understood that they could not be charged under current Maryland statutes.

"In addition to the fear and chaos these threats caused, it is important to acknowledge the significant financial and operational burden each incident placed on our department. Dispatching officers and K-9 units to investigate these threats, especially when our resources are already stretched thin, diverted our personnel away from other pressing calls for service. This diversion of resources is unacceptable, and it jeopardizes the safety of our community."

Jones commended the detectives and MCPS employees who helped identify the suspect in the four threatening emails.

"The safety of our community remains our foremost priority, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect and serve our residents," he said.