NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The North Vernon Police Department (NVPD) is conducting an investigation after a bomb threat led to the evacuation of Jennings County High School on Thursday. A separate threat of a gun on campus at Jennings County Middle School was made after the evacuation and investigators ultimately determined the schools were safe after extensive searches of both.
At 12:11 p.m., an AirDrop appeared on a Jennings County High School student’s iPhone. It was a picture of a male and a female sitting on a couch. The name of the iPhone used to send the AirDrop was, “There’s a bomb at JCHS,” according to NVPD. At 12:20 p.m. the student reported it to the school staff and School Resource Officer.
At that time, the school was placed on lockdown and the cafeteria was cleared. Students and staff were evacuated from the high school and escorted to Jennings County Middle School.
An officer from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and his specially trained K-9 that detects explosives were called to the scene. The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office, the Indiana State Police, Indiana Conservation officers, and Indiana Excise police also responded. No explosives, guns, or other weapons were found within the building, according to law enforcement.
A short time later, another AirDrop was sent out from inside Jennings County Middle School with a photograph of a gun. A search of the school, which had already begun, again revealed there were no guns, explosives, or other weapons at the middle school. It was later found that the photo of the gun was taken on January 1, 2023, at 1:23 a.m. from a different location, and not on any school property.
After both locations were determined to be safe, high school students were released and escorted back to Jennings County High School, where they reported to their respective classes for accountability. Students were then released to parents or respective buses and dismissed for the day.
The investigation is ongoing and further information may be released at a later date.
