Bomb Threats Hit NH Schools Again

It's been a busy morning for schools around New Hampshire: For the second time in less than two days a string of schools appear to be hit with bomb threats, as well as a bomb search drill in one high school and a drug lockdown in a second high school, according to police and alerts online.

Portsmouth Police also reported a bomb threat at around 9:40 a.m. on May 25, 2016, at the city’s middle school. On Facebook, police noted that the threat was “similar in nature” to a call received on Monday at the high school.

A few minutes later, Manchester Police public information officer Lt. Brian O’Keefe alert media outlets to a bomb scare in the Queen City at the McLaughlin Middle School.

"The kids have been evacuated as a precaution," O'Keefe noted at just before 10:30 a.m. "Kids are safe and a bomb dog will sweep the building as a precautionary measure."

O'Keefe gave the all-clear at the McLaughlin at just before 11:30 a.m.

Nashua Police were sent to the Fairgrounds Middle School for a bomb threat called in to the school at around 9:17 a.m. today, according to an alert. The school was evacuated and police noted that the threat was similar to one on Monday.

Pembroke Academy was also placed in a "controlled lockdown" this morning, according to Chief Dwayne Gilman. He noted that at around 9 a.m., school administration requested a search of "all common areas, lockers, random classes as well as administration areas" searching for drugs.

"The Pembroke Police conducted the search with the assistance from, Londonderry, Bow, Pittsfield, New Hampshire State Police and Middleton Police K-9 Handlers," he noted. "At the completion of the search effort the Pembroke Police and Pembroke Academy school administration were pleased with the result of zero illegal drug seizure’s during the search efforts."

At just before 9:30 a.m., police in Hollis informed residents and the media that its department had just completed a “drill/search” at the Hollis-Brookline High School and the activity was “NOT in response to any specific threat or incident,” according to an alert.

“This search included portions of the interior and exterior of the building,” the alert noted. “The search lasted for approximately one hour and students were either evacuated and sheltered in their classrooms while the search was conducted. At no time did any students come into contact with the police K-9s or their handlers.”

Police noted that they felt it was important to inform parents and students after the search to “protect the integrity of its objective.”

At just after 11 a.m., police in Portsmouth gave the all-clear at that city's middle school.

These two latest bomb threat alerts are about 48 hours after four other New Hampshire schools received bomb threats in Berlin, Keene, Nashua, and Portsmouth.

New Hampshire Patch will update this post as more information becomes available.