FRUITLAND, Md. - Two calls were made to Fruitland Police Monday night, threatening violence to "Fruitland Elementary School," according to the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office.
They say according to the call take, both calls came from the same phone number, but two different voices were heard making the threats. They say the anonymous callers referenced "Fruitland Elementary School," and made statements involving "poison gas" and "gauging their eyes out."
There is no school in Fruitland named "Fruitland Elementary," so police say out of caution, law enforcement treated the threats seriously and searched Fruitland Primary School and Fruitland Intermediate School in Wicomico County.
Sheriffs say the searches looked for any suspicious items, explosive devices, hazardous materials, or other evidence to confirm the threats. They say after the searches, there was no evidence of an explosive device, chemical agent, or other hazardous threat at either school.
They say as a precautionary measure, the opening of both schools Tuesday morning was temporarily delayed as law enforcement finished security sweeps and continued their investigation. After they determined there was no active threat, school continued as normal.
The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office says the investigation is ongoing and they are working to identify the people responsible for making the threatening calls.
Wicomico County School Resource Deputies, Fruitland Police Officers, members of the Wicomico County Safe Schools Team, and Berlin, Maryland State Fire Marshal and Ocean City Police Department K-9 teams conducted the school searches.
Wicomico County Public Schools say they take all threats seriously, "as student and staff safety is always our top priority."
