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Bomb Threat at JFK Middle School Prompts Evacuation; No Devices Found, Investigation Ongoing
- CNY Online News
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
***FULL RELEASE 2:10PM***
On April 2nd, 2026 at approximately 9:15AM a call was placed to John F. Kennedy Middle School in which the caller stated that several bombs were placed around the school and would detonate at a particular time.
Based on the threats the Utica City School District made a determination to evacuate students and staff to the Redeemer Church on Herkimer Rd. Through the entirety of the evacuation process staff and students maintained an amazing degree of composure and control until they ultimately reached the church. Once there again JFK Principal Mr. DeJesus and his staff, kept the students safe, calm, and accounted for.
After the evacuation determination was made the Utica Police Department, and many Federal and local partners, arrived at JFK Middle School and took control of the incident dealing with the threat as well as the safety and security of all involved.
Preliminarily we conducted an interior sweep to ensure no additional people were inside, and then specialized K-9 explosive detection teams conducted a sweep on the building and grounds to ensure no devices were on the property. It was ultimately determined that there were no explosives on premise, and no immediate threat to the building or students was present.
Once the sweep was concluded, School District and Police coordinated a return to JFK via bussing the students back. This was completed seamlessly and once back at school the educational day proceeded as normal.
The Utica Police Department Criminal Investigations Division along with offered assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, has commenced an investigation into the call and its origins.
We would like to thank all the partnerships today, along with the staff, students, and parents for their cooperation and understanding during this stressful time.
We would also like to give a huge thank you to Redeemer Church, who without question or complaint opened their doors to nearly a thousand people at a moment’s notice and gave the students and staff a space to feel safe during this event.
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