Authorities say an undisclosed following reports of a bomb threat that prompted an evacuation was “absolutely not” an accidental situation.
“It’s not (an) accident,” said Jacqueline Kirby, a spokeswoman for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. “Absolutely not.”
The elite private school’s director of information technology, 46-year-old Bryan S. Bolding, and a 16-year-old boy were arrested in connection with the incident. The pair are suspected of a long list of felony and misdemeanor charges.
The allegations against the pair include: possession and use of a hoax incendiary device, terrorist training activities, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, conspiracy, attempt to influence a public servant, reckless endangerment, child abuse without injury and felony menacing.
Just In: A mugshot of Bryan Bolding, who was arrested in connection to a bomb threat at Fountain Valley School.
— KRDO13 (@KRDO_13)
The boy’s name has not been released, and investigators have not described in detail the “device” that was found. The allegations against Bolding and the teen indicate the device was not a real bomb, though the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.
El Paso County deputies were called to the school, southeast of Colorado Springs, about 3:15 p.m. on reports of a suspicious “military-grade” explosive or incendiary device that was found in the cafeteria.
“Deputies, bomb squad personnel, SWAT and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive personnel responded to the scene, evacuated the area, and rendered the device safe,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “Nobody was injured.”
It’s not clear how or why authorities believe Bolding and the teen are linked to the device.
“It’s still under investigation,” Kirby said, declining to release more information.
has both boarding and day students — 235 in all.
In a statement to , the school said it was planning to resume normal operations on Wednesday
