14-year-old arrested for bomb threat

SIKESTON - A 14-year-old juvenile remains in custody after being arrested Tuesday for making a bomb threat at Sikeston Junior High School.

According to Sikeston Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden, the suspect was a former student at the school. The juvenile was at the school and left a note indicating there would be an explosion at 2 p.m. Tuesday. School authorities found the note when they were checking lunch receipts and notified DPS at 1:34 p.m. In line with school procedures, the building was evacuated and was searched. No explosive devices were found.

DPS arrested the suspect about 30 minutes after they received the call and the juvenile remains in custody of juvenile authorities.

"This type of crime needlessly causes disruption of the school system and DPS investigates these crimes vigorously," Juden said. "There have been three threats of this type toward the school system this school year," he noted, "and the perpetrators have been caught in all three accounts."