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Authorities spent more than 3 1/2 hours Thursday evening investigating a bomb threat at Bellefontaine High School.
No bomb was found and police do not believe it was a credible threat.
“But in this situation, you have no choice,” Bellefontaine Police Department Lt. Rick Herring said. “You have to treat it as credible and evacuated the premises.”
A volleyball game between Bellefontaine and Kenton Ridge High School was stopped as was a county-wide financial aid seminar.
The building and grounds were evacuated, Herring said, and the department called for canines specially trained in explosives detection.
Police were notified of the threat around 6:35 p.m. after a school staff member contacted Principal Dr. Pam Noeth.
It took more than an hour for canine units from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Ohio State University Campus Police to respond.
Once on scene, Herring said the units worked with his officers to methodically clear the grounds including AcuSport Stadium.
Authorities then went into the school with Superintendent Brad Hall to sweep every room in the facility.
By 10:10 p.m., an all clear was given and the bomb sniffing canine units left the scene.
Herring said the threat was a simple message of “Hope you find the bomb.” He declined to say how the threat was delivered to the school.
The department continues its investigation. Anyone with information can contact the department at (937) 599-1010.