Police say they've identified a Melrose High School student who is responsible for two of the three bomb hoaxes that occurred during the current school year. Along with Melrose officers, numerous other law enforcement agencies responded to the bomb threat on April 17 (pictured), which was the most recent incident. Wicked Local photo / Jessica Sacco |
Police say they've identified a Melrose High School student who is responsible for two of the three bomb hoaxes that occurred during the current school year. Along with Melrose officers, numerous other law enforcement agencies responded to the bomb threat on April 17 (pictured), which was the most recent incident. Wicked Local photo / Jessica Sacco
By Jessica Sacco
jsacco@wickedlocal.com
Posted May. 16, 2014 @ 5:23 pm
Updated at 5:51 PM
A student faces felony charges after police identified him as the suspect in two recent bomb hoaxes at Melrose High School (MHS).
The 17-year-old will be charged with two counts of making a threat concerning the location of dangerous items or a hijack (to wit a bomb threat).
He is due to be arraigned at the Middlesex County Juvenile Court in Cambridge on May 21, after he was summonsed to court earlier this month. The Middlesex District Attorney's Office which will prosecute the case.
The charges stem from false bomb threats made at MHS on April 17 and on Dec. 4.
In the case last month, a student found a written note on a piece of paper in the third-floor boys' bathroom with the threat of a bomb.
Back in December, a similar message was found on the wall of a third-floor boys' bathroom.
During both incidents, several law enforcement agencies searched the school with K9 units and found nothing.
After the April incident, city officials amped up their search for the culprit — offering a reward of up to $5,000 to anyone who could provide useful information leading to the prosecution of the responsible individual.
Police also conducted interviews with school officials and students to obtain information related to the suspect.
"We then utilized a handwriting analysis expert to examine the evidence at the scene, which was the note on April 17, as well a sample from the previous threat, and compared that to samples provided by school administrators of the person of interest," Melrose Police Lt. Mark DeCroteau told the Free Press.
Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, police were able to identify the suspect.
Mayor Rob Dolan commended the work of the Melrose Police Department, the Middlesex DA's Office and the school department in apprehending the suspect.
"Now it is time for the justice system to perform its vital responsibilities," he said in a press release. "There is nothing more important than making sure every student, teacher and parent feels safe in our school buildings."
Another bomb threat was made at MHS earlier in the school year, which remains under investigation.
I could be wrong, but I think this could be the first time a culprit has been caught, ever, by Melrose. I think we can expect a large reduction or maybe even elimination of Bomb Scares in Melrose schools. Thanks Rob.
Wow- sounds like the previous poster thinks that Mayor Dolan did this by him self - he discovered the notes, did the handwriting analysis, checked it against all the students in the school, found the culprit, handcuffed him, booked him, and is now preparing the legal case against him! I am deeply impressed! I certainly know what categories in the budget to cut, the police dept.,legal dept., and city security. I knew this guy "walks on water" but I didn't know he also omnipotent!
Who got the $5K?
I don't think they needed the informant. So, probably no one.
good question - i hear that his friends ratted him out but not sure if it was in response to the reward, or if they gave up the information when asked.