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The person behind a bomb threat targeting four Lexington high schools wanted $50,000 in bitcoins.
Fayette County Public School officials received an anonymous message on its tip line around noon on Tuesday, September 21, that bombs had been placed at Frederick Douglass, Henry Clay, Lafayette, and Paul Laurence Dunbar high schools. The message also demanded the bitcoin ransom, the Lexington Herald Leader reported.
All four schools safely evacuated 10,000 students and staff members so that law enforcement could search the buildings.
Experts with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and bomb sniffing dogs searched the schools, but nothing suspicious was found and no arrests were made.
“Every indication is that today’s threat was a hoax, although there is an active investigation into this incident," Lafayette Principal Bryne Jacobs wrote in an email to parents.
Authorities wouldn't say if they had a suspect in the case, but revealed that the threat came from outside of the Fayette County Public Schools network.
Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins said no additional security would be sent to the four high schools on Wednesday.
“We have no reason to believe that will be necessary. We do have several security measures already in place on a day-to-day basis. As we’re aware, we have our own police force that is highly visible at all our campuses,” he told WKYT.