DOVER, PA – Dover Area High School faced an alarming incident when administrators and Northern York County Regional Police Department (NYCRPD) School Resource Officers were notified of a student talking about bombs planted in the cafeteria. The incident, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. on August 24, prompted an immediate response and precautionary evacuation of the school.
Upon receiving the information, school administrators and SROs were able to swiftly locate the student and escort him to the SRO office within the school. As a precautionary measure, the school was evacuated at 9:56 a.m., with students and staff being moved to the football stadium located at Dover Area Middle School.
A thorough search was conducted by NYCRPD and school personnel in the cafeteria and other common areas, followed by a sweep with Canine units from the York County Sheriff’s Office and neighboring counties. Fortunately, no explosives were found. Students and staff were safely moved back to the high school by 11:00 a.m.
Parents were given the option to pick up their children starting at 11:30 a.m., a process that continued until approximately 1:00 p.m. The majority of students returned to the classroom to complete the school day.
The student involved in the threats was released to his parents and will face charges through the York County Juvenile Justice System upon the conclusion of the investigation.
The Northern York County Regional Police Department extended its gratitude to the Dover Area School District Administration and Staff, the York County Sheriff’s K9 Unit, the Dover Township Fire Department, and the patient parents involved in the reunification process. A special acknowledgment was given to the student body for their cooperation and for promptly alerting the high school staff about the threat.