Kennett High School student charged with bomb threat

KENNETT, Mo. -- A Kennett High School senior faces felony charges following a report of a bomb threat at the campus earlier this month.

According to court documents, on Monday, local prosecutors charged Gage T. Blue, 18, with making a terrorist threat, what Blue called "a senior prank."

According to Lt. Tim Trowbridge of the Bootheel Drug Task Force, on Dec. 2, the Kennett Police Department visited the school because a threatening note was found on school property indicating an explosive device has been placed somewhere at the school.

Trowbridge said members of the KPD, Dunklin County Sheriff's Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol moved the students to a safe location and conducted a "thorough search" of the school.

"Upon completing the search and finding nothing suspicious, officers and school officials deemed the school safe for students to return to normal activities," Trowbridge said. "An investigation led by the Kennett Police Department's CID [Criminal Investigation Division] Unit was then conducted in regards to the threat."

Trowbridge said Kennett investigators obtained evidence and information of a possible suspect, an adult student at KHS.

On Dec. 8, investigators obtained a confession of the incident from Blue.

"The suspect related the threat to what he thought was a senior prank," Trowbridge said.

The lieutenant then said that Sokoloff and officials with the school were notified of the investigation and the facts the investigators had obtained.

Kennett School District Superintendent Jerry Noble made a brief statement about the incident early this morning.

"We take such matters very seriously," Noble said. "It is a possible danger and it interferes with the education of our students, and the ability of our law enforcement to take care of more serious matters.

"We take it very seriously. We consider it a threat."

Gage was scheduled to appear for arraignment at 9 a.m., today before Judge John C. Spielman.