Georgetown – On May 9, 2018, Georgetown Police, with assistance of numerous local law enforcement agencies, responded to threats made towards Walmart and Georgetown Elementary School, according to Public Information Officer, Detective Joey Melvin.
Melvin said on at approximately 1:43 p.m., an unknown suspect called Walmart and reported having a hostage inside the building. The caller also stated that they were in possession of a bomb which they threatened to detonate. Georgetown Police Department with assistance of Delaware Capitol Police, Delaware State Police, and Delaware Natural Resources Police responded to Wal Mart to secure the scene and investigate the threat. Delaware Natural Resources Police K9 conducted an exterior sweep of Wal Mart.
At approximately 1:59 p.m., a call was made to Georgetown Elementary School in which a similar threat was made, said Melvin.
Georgetown’s School Resource Officer, with assistance from Delaware Capitol Police, Lewes Police Department and Rehoboth Beach Police, immediately checked and secured the campus which includes Georgetown Elementary School, Georgetown Middle School, and Georgetown Kindergarten Center. Delaware Capitol Police K9 unit also conducted a sweep of the school campus.
As a precaution, Georgetown Police were present at North Georgetown Elementary School and Howard T. Ennis School during this investigation.
Preliminary investigation by Georgetown Detectives indicates that both threats made by the suspect were an attempt to purposely cause a mass law enforcement response to each site. This investigation is ongoing and updates will be made as needed.
Similar Incidents
Threat To Gallaher Elementary School Yesterday
Yesterday, May 8, 2017 Delaware State Troopers responded to Gallaher Elementary School in Newark reportedly for threats to the school. Indications are that the school went on lock down sometime after 10 am.
In that incident the Department of Elections had to issue a statement stating that voters could not vote at Gallaher during the lock down. The lock down was lifted about an hour later and voting resumed at the school.
It’s not known what the nature of the threat to Gallaher was. Delaware State Police have yet to release details regarding that incident.
Read more about that incident.
Bomb Threat Against Jewish Community Center
This latest incident in Georgetown will remind readers of the series of bomb threats that were called into the The Siegel Jewish Community Center in Wilmington, in late 2016 through early 2017.
Israel Police eventually arrested a 19-year-old suspect, who has dual citizenship, American and Israeli, on suspicion of making security related threats and publishing false reports causing fear and panic, regarding those incidents.