Bradford Area School District officials announced Friday there
was no lockdown at the high school that day as had been
rumored.

Superintendent of Schools, Sandra Romanowski said Friday that a
combination of rumors and a scheduled weather drill had students
and, consequently, their parents, believing the school was on a
lockdown.

“All teachers and students were informed the drill would be
today before it happened,” said Romanowski.

The weather drill occurred at 9 a.m.

Principal of the high school, Ken Coffman, said the faculty had
known the drill was going to be held Friday and said he believes
the teachers would have let the students know that as well.

He added that even before the drill was held, he went on the
intercom system and told the students that they were about to have
a weather drill. He said the drill lasted for about 15 minutes.

Coffman said he addressed the students about the incident
involving an alleged threat made between students Thursday -ðwhich
likely sparked the lockdown rumor -ðin announcements following the
weather drill.

Bradford City Police Chief Roger Sager provided The Era with a
release on the same incident.

“Apparently a verbal threat was made on Thursday afternoon by a
juvenile male toward other students of Bradford Area High School,”
read the release. “These threats have been under investigation by
the School Resource Officer (Dave Feely), city police and the
school administration since that time.”

Coffman said himself, assistant principal Dave Ray, school
guidance counselors and Feely met with several students regarding
the alleged incident on Thursday.

“We talked to parents who called and covered all of the
variables (tied to the incident) to make sure there was no threat
to student safety,” added Coffman.

He added that any parent or student that had anxiety over the
issue were able to take their children home for the day. The
investigation of the alleged threat continues.

“We can never take a threat lightly,” said Coffman. “Safety is
always our priority and we didn’t feel the students were in harms
way.”

Romanowski said students spread the rumor that the student
involved in the Thursday incident brought a gun to school Friday.
She said police went to that student’s home Friday to make sure he
was there, and he had apparently been home the entire time.

The city police said in the release the student has been told to
stay home until the investigation is complete. It goes on to say
the student is under the supervision of his parents and was not in
school Friday. It also says that the student and his parents are
cooperating fully with their requests.

Romanowski said many students contacted their parents after
hearing the rumors about a weapon in school, which precipitated the
suggestion there was a lockdown Friday.

The name of the student involved in the alleged incident
Thursday was not released.