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All clear given after bomb threat made against Smithfield High School

The threat made against Smithfield High School led to its evacuation as well as the evacuation of Smithfield Middle School.

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, Va. — An "All Clear" was given at Smithfield High School, after a bomb threat was reported on Friday morning.

Lynn Briggs, Director of Community & Media Relations for Isle of Wight County Schools, said someone called in the threat around 9:30 a.m. As a result, the high school and the middle school were evacuated. (They're adjoining facilities.)

Capt. T. Potter with the Isle of Wight Sheriff's Office said in addition to deputies, members of several other agencies were at the schools in response to the threat. Those agencies included Virginia State Police (VSP), Portsmouth Police Department, and Old Dominion University Police Department.

Potter said VSP had several K-9s there to help clear the schools of any threat.

Shortly before 11:45 a.m., Briggs said the search of Smithfield Middle School had been completed and that all students and staff members were able to return to the building. Teams still were checking the high school.

At 12:51, the high school also was cleared and normal operations resumed at both schools.

Briggs added that any parent who picked up their child from the middle or high school had until 4 p.m. Friday to get their belongings.

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