Two callers threatened a nonexistent “Fruitland Elementary School” late Monday, prompting overnight searches of Fruitland Primary and Intermediate schools in Wicomico County.
FRUITLAND, Md. — Two late-night bomb threat calls mentioning a Fruitland school and “poison gas” triggered an overnight law enforcement response and delayed the opening of two Wicomico County schools Tuesday while police and K-9 teams searched the buildings.
The Fruitland Police Department received the separate calls through its non-emergency dispatch line at approximately 10:41 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators said both calls came from the same telephone number, but a communications call taker reported hearing two different voices making threats.
Callers Referenced School That Does Not Exist
During the calls, the unidentified individuals referred to “Fruitland Elementary School” and made threatening statements involving “poison gas” and violence, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
There is no school operating under the name Fruitland Elementary School in Maryland. Authorities nevertheless treated the calls as credible until the buildings could be checked.
The response focused on Fruitland Primary School and Fruitland Intermediate School, the two public schools serving the Fruitland community.
Wicomico County School Resource Deputies, Fruitland police officers and members of the county’s Safe Schools Team searched both buildings. K-9 teams from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office in Berlin and the Ocean City Police Department also assisted.
K-9 Teams Search Both Schools
Authorities conducted systematic searches looking for explosives, suspicious packages, hazardous materials or anything else that could substantiate the threats.
Nothing was found.
“Following the completion of the searches, no credible evidence of an explosive device, chemical agent, or other hazardous threat was located at either school,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The schools temporarily delayed opening while officers completed the security sweeps and investigators continued working to determine where the calls originated.
Normal operations were permitted to resume after authorities determined there was no evidence of an active threat.
The incident comes just weeks after another school security scare in Wicomico County. Earlier this month, a reported firearm at Pinehurst Elementary School prompted a lockdown and large police response before investigators determined the report was unfounded.
Investigators Trying to Identify Two Callers
The investigation into Monday night’s calls remained active Tuesday, with detectives working to identify the people responsible and determine the origin of the telephone number used to make the threats.
“The investigation remains ongoing, and law-enforcement personnel are working to identify the individuals responsible for placing the threatening calls,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The incident adds to a series of school threat investigations that have drawn significant law enforcement responses despite ultimately producing no dangerous devices.
Anyone with information about the calls or the people responsible can contact Fruitland Police at 410-548-2804, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.
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