UPDATED:
A student is under investigation after allegedly typing “I have a bomb” on a school-issued Chromebook Tuesday morning, triggering an emergency evacuation and large law enforcement response at Suring Public Schools.
According to the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, the threat was reported at 9:42 a.m. when the district’s "Securely Technology Monitoring System" flagged the message and alerted school administrators. Dispatchers received a call about an active threat inside the school, prompting an immediate response from the Suring Police Department and Oconto County deputies.
The district activated its Emergency Response Plan, and all students and staff were evacuated to designated rally points with full supervision. Earlier in the day, Superintendent Bob Caelwaerts told families that the evacuation was conducted out of an "abundance of caution" and that all students and staff were safe.
Law enforcement teams conducted a "thorough and systematic" search of the school building. No suspicious items were found, and investigators say there is no active threat to the school or the community.
A person of interest has been identified, and the incident remains an ongoing criminal investigation.
As the situation developed, the district closed the school early and initiated its reunification process. Families were instructed to pick up students at St. John’s Church, 8903 St. John's Road, and were asked not to return to the school campus until further notice. Buses did not run during reunification, and only authorized adults with photo ID were permitted to pick up students.
Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including the Suring Police Department, Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Gillett Police Department, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Suring Fire Department, Gillett Area Ambulance Service, Saint John’s Lutheran School, and Lamers Bus Lines.
In a statement, Sheriff’s officials thanked school staff, students, and first responders for their “flawless execution” of the district’s emergency operations plan.
Caelwaerts thanked families for their cooperation and emphasized that student safety remains the district’s top priority as it works with law enforcement and follows established safety protocols.
NBC26 is working to gather additional information and will update this story as it develops.
