Police say a sixth-grade student is in custody in relation to a racially-charged bomb threat targeting a Licking County elementary school. Police say it's not thought to be related to recent threats at the district's high school.
The threat was discovered by a staff member around 2:45 p.m. Monday on the in-house computer network of Newton Elementary School in Newark.
Students were evacuated to the playground and were dismissed at the scheduled time of 3:30 p.m.
A police search of the school yielded no results. Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp says it's uncertain how the boy might have gained access to the school's computer system.
Thorp confirmed the threat included "racial content," but said the boy had no connection to two recent letters threatening violence at Utica High School homecoming activities over interracial dating.
Newton Elementary is expected to resume classes Tuesday.
