PORT TOWNSEND — A 12-year-old boy has admitted to having written an “Osama bin Laden” message that prompted a search for a bomb at Blue Heron Middle School on Friday, Port Townsend police said today (Tuesday).
The message, found at 11:47 a.m. written on a restroom wall, said: “Osama bin Laden, I will bomb your school.”
The school at 3939 San Juan Ave. was evacuated and closed early for the day to allow investigators to search the school. No explosives were found.
The sixth-grade Blue Heron student, who is not named because of his age, said he was dared by another student to write the message and never intended to harm anyone, said Officer Luke Bogues, Port Townsend Police Department spokesman.
Garin Williams, Police Department school resource officer, said the boy responsible for the incident confessed to him Tuesday.
A report for possible criminal charges is being forwarded by Williams to the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Threats to bomb or injure property is a class B felony. Any noncriminal discipline is at the discretion of the school district.
Meanwhile, Bogues said the department has no additional details concerning boric acid that was found in a restroom in the Jefferson County Courthouse earlier Friday.
The incidents are not related, police said.
Two women had called police after finding a white powder at about 9:30 a.m.
A State Patrol hazardous materials technician analyzed the powder by 1 p.m. and determined it was boric acid, often used as an antiseptic.
After the middle school message was found, the State Patrol bomb squad moved to the middle school.
