MEDIA RELEASE

 

Date: February 24, 2022

From: Tunica County Sheriff's Office

 

DESCRIPTION:

On Tuesday, February 08, 2022, at approximately 1116 hours, Tunica County Sheriff's Office received a call in reference to a Bomb Threat at the Tunica Elementary School, located at 690 School Street Tunica, MS 38676. Law Enforcement and First Responders were dispatched to the scene, and all schools within the Tunica County School District had begun their evacuation as pertaining to the Bomb Threat.

The Tunica County Sheriff's Office began their investigation along with the Tunica Police Department. All areas were checked uniformly on all school campuses both internally and externally. The search for a bomb or anything that appeared that could be used as bomb material or explosives was unfounded.

Sheriff Investigators began their standard procedures and after an extensive investigation under exigent circumstance dealing with phone records, it was later discovered that the call was made by a female juvenile student from the Rosa Fort High School. This call was made anonymously from a blocked number.

Investigators later discovered that there was possibly two persons of interest, but after carefully investigating, there was only one person who was allegedly discovered as the female juvenile responsible for calling in the Bomb Threat.

On February 10, 2022, a hearing was conducted in Juvenile Court for the 14-year-old Juvenile. Tunica County Sheriff's Office, Tunica Police Department and the Mississippi Highway Patrol assisted in this investigation. The F.B.I. was also contacted according to Standard Operating Procedures.

On Friday, February 11, 2022, at approximately 1036 hours, Rosa Fort High School received a second bomb threat, evacuations and investigative procedures were activated. Within hours, investigators had persons of interest identified.

On Monday, February 14, 2022, at approximately 1026 hours, Rosa Fort High School received a third bomb threat, evacuations and investigations procedures were activated. Within hours investigators had a person of interest identified and later taken into custody.

One Juvenile was transported to a Juvenile Detention Center on February 14, 2022, and another Juvenile was transported on February 15, 2022, to a Juvenile Detention Center as well. The Juvenile Court Judge has set a hearing for February 28, 2022, concerning Juvenile(s) cases related to Bomb Threats.

On Thursday, February 17, 2022, at approximately 1014 hours, the Tunica County Sheriff's Office received a call in reference to an Active Shooting Threat called in at the Rosa Fort High School located at 1100 Rosa Fort Street Tunica, Mississippi 38676. Law Enforcement and First Responders were dispatched to the scene, and all schools within the Tunica County School District had begun a modified lock down as pertaining to a Shooting Threat.

On Friday, February 18, 2022, at approximately 1208 hours, the Rosa Fort High School received a second call in reference to a shooting threat.

Sheriff Investigators began their standard procedures and later discovered after an extensive investigation under exigent circumstance dealing with phone records, it was discovered that the call was made from a residence in Buffalo, New York by a male juvenile. Buffalo New York Police Department and the F.B.I. were notified and dispatched to the residence to assist Tunica County Sheriff Investigators after a confirmation was confirmed with the Buffalo New York Police Department and the F.B.I. Tunica County Sheriff's Office and the Youth Court Division will work with officials and the Courts in New York for further proceedings.

The school district issued a statement stating any students engaging in such acts will be expelled and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

If anyone has any questions concerning this investigation, please contact Lieutenant Favian Jones, Criminal Investigations Division at the Tunica County Sheriff's Office, at (662) 363-1411 ext. 3029.