Bomb threat against Prairie Grove District 46 determined not credible; investigation ongoing

A bomb threat made last week against Prairie Grove School District 46, which prompted officials to cancel school Friday, was found to not be credible, the superintendent said Monday.

No items considered dangerous or harmful were found within the district after several law enforcement agencies, which included a K-9 unit, spent hours going through the district’s buses and buildings, Superintendent John Bute said in a letter Monday to district staff and families. Interviews conducted throughout the weekend also confirmed this, he said.

The Prairie Grove Police Department also said in a news release Monday that no credible threat to the students or the school was identified.

“Police are continuing their investigation into the origins of the threatening email, and we fully expect to identify and seek charges against the person or persons responsible for the threat,” Bute said in the letter.

Along with school, the spring play slated for Friday also was canceled. It will be made up at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Bute said.

The threat came Thursday evening in an email that indicated a specific time for an event on Friday, he said.

The police department referred all further questions to the school district. An attempt to reach Bute was not successful.