14-year-old Penns Manor Area student facing felony charges after fake bomb threat

CHERRYHILL, Pa. (KDKA) -- A 14-year-old student is facing felony charges after police said he made a fake bomb threat at Penns Manor Area Junior/Senior High School on Monday. 

The teenager is facing felony counts of threatening to use weapons of mass destruction and terroristic threats after the bomb threat prompted an early dismissal on Monday. He was also charged with possessing a weapon on school property after police said authorities found a pocketknife on him when he was detained at school. 

State police were called shortly before 10 a.m. Monday after a note was found in a bathroom at the Penns Manor Area Junior/Senior High School. The handwritten note said there was a bomb in the building that would go off at 1:30 p.m., troopers said.

After finding the note around 9:30 a.m., police said school staff members were able to identify the 14-year-old student as the suspect after reviewing security camera footage. When school staff members detained him, police said they realized he had a pocketknife on him. 

The teenager was taken into custody when a trooper arrived. He was driven to the state police station in Indiana to be interviewed and was later released to his guardian. 

Out of an abundance of caution, the junior/senior high school and elementary school were evacuated and everyone was sent home early. The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations Explosives Detection K-9 Unit was called in to sweep the school just to be safe. No bomb was found. 

A juvenile written allegation was filed against the teenager with the Indiana County Probation Department. 

"Troopers would like to thank the Penns Manor Area School District and students for their assistance and cooperation during this investigation," state police wrote in a press release.