2 teens in Methuen charged for alleged bomb threat against school

Two Methuen High School students are facing charges for allegedly posting a bomb threat against their school on social media over the weekend, Methuen police officials said in a statement Monday.

Students and parents reported the online threat to the district, police said. The police were then notified Sunday evening and "quickly" zeroed in on the two juvenile suspects, both 14 years old. Neither teen was identified publicly due to their age.

Both teens are expected to be charged with threatened use of explosives and causing disruption of a school, according to police officials, who noted additional charges may be issued. One teen was arrested at home Sunday and arraigned Monday; the second will be summoned to Essex County Juvenile Court at a later date.

Just a day earlier, police began an ongoing investigation into a separate bomb threat officers say was placed by a Donald P. Timony Grammar School student on TikTok. Police said the threat was "nonspecific" and "determined to be uncredible." Officers searched the student's home and "did not find anything suspicious or cause for alarm."

The student has not been arrested and is expected to face discipline from the school district, with police noting the child had "neither the means nor opportunity to carry out such a threat." Neither the student's identity nor age was released by police.

The elementary school teaches more than 1,100 students from pre-K through eighth grade.

Methuen police told WBUR the threats against Methuen High were possibly a copycat of the earlier threat.

"I want to reiterate the severity of threats such as these. The disruption that these threats cause brings unwarranted fear and anxiety to those across the community," Methuen Police Chief Scott McNamara said in the statement.

"Those found responsible will face significant legal consequences," he added. "While these threats were not deemed credible, it does not lessen the serious impact they have had across our community."

The incidents put the Methuen school community on edge, especially in light of an incident of school violence that has again shaken the nation. Last week, a 14-year-old student at a Georgia high school was arrested and charged with fatally shooting two students and two teachers in a spree that also injured nine others.

Roughly 1,900 students attend Methuen High about 30 miles north of Boston; police stationed additional patrols there Monday. Both schools were swept "out of an abundance of caution" by the Methuen Fire Department, police units and K-9 teams attached to the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, the statement said.

The district superintendent did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.