Arrest Made After Threats At Dover Middle School

Incident Number:  50-24-34647

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 at 2:23 p.m.

Location: Dover Middle School, 1 Pat Lynn Drive, Dover, DE

Contact:   Dover Police Department Public Information Officer
Master Corporal Ryan Schmid   Email: Ryan.Schmid@cj.state.de.us

Narrative: The Dover Police Department has arrested a 13-year-old male, of Seaford, DE, after he made threats toward the Dover Middle School Campus on Tuesday afternoon.  The investigation began at 2:23 p.m. when the Dover Police Department received three calls through 911 from the same number. The initial calls advised that there was a bomb at the school and the last call advised there was going to be a shooting on the campus. Before these calls were received, the school was already preparing for dismissal as parents were waiting for pick-up and buses had arrived. The School Resource Officers were notified of these threats, and several additional Officers responded to the school to assist. Officers collaborated with Capital School District Staff and the decision was made to dismiss the students on time, with Officers providing extra security.

Once all staff/students had left the school, a thorough search was conducted by Officers from the Dover Police Department with the assistance of K-9 units from the Dover Air Force Base, New Castle County Police Department, Delaware Natural Resource Police Department, and the Capital Police Department. After approximately 2 hours of searching, it was determined that the school was safe.

Detectives immediately began working on this case and their investigation led them to identify the 13-year-old male as the person responsible for making the threats toward the school. The 13-year-old is not a student at Dover Middle School.

On Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, the 13-year-old was arrested and transported to the Dover Police Department where he was processed.

The 13-year-old was turned over to a guardian after being charged with the following:
-Terroristic Threatening
-Malicious Interference with Emergency Communications

The 13-year-old is presumed innocent until proven guilty.