Middle School Students Evacuated As Police Searched Campus Following Bomb Threat

RAMAPO, NY — A bomb threat to a Rockland County middle school turned out to be a hoax , but authorities took the threat seriously.

Ramapo police are investigating a bomb threat reported Wednesday afternoon at Chestnut Ridge Middle School, where students and staff were evacuated and taken to an off-site location.

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According to the Ramapo Police Department, officers responded to the school at about 1:11 p.m. on Wednesday, after a report of a bomb threat. Students and staff were removed from the building, and the school was then searched by explosive detection K9s from the Ramapo Police Department, Rockland County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police, Town of Woodbury Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The Rockland County Sheriff's Office Bomb Disposal Unit also assisted at the scene. The South Spring Valley Fire Department, Monsey Fire Department and William P. Faist Volunteer Ambulance Corps were staged off-site and prepared for emergency response while the search was underway.

No explosive devices were found during the search, according to the Ramapo Police Department.

The investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the Ramapo Police Investigations Division. According to the department, the division is being assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Ramapo police are asking anyone with information about the itroubling ncident to contact the department at 845-357-2400. According to police, all calls will be kept confidential.