Kings Mountain Police Department investigates bomb threat at Kings Mountain High School

Press Release | Gabriel Thomas, Communications Specialist, City of Kings Mountain and Lance Hamrick, Asst. Chief, Kings Mountain Police Department | Cleveland County Schools

Kings Mountain, N.C. — At approximately 1:37 p.m. today, the Kings Mountain Police Department (KMPD) received an initial report of a bomb threat directed toward Kings Mountain High School.

Upon arrival at Kings Mountain High School, KMPD began evacuating students to the school's football field while law enforcement personnel conducted searches of the school buildings and surrounding areas. An Incident Command area was established to coordinate the response and ensure the safety of students, staff, and responding personnel.

As a precautionary measure, Kings Mountain Middle School and Kings Mountain Intermediate School were immediately placed on lockdown while law enforcement responded and appropriate safety measures were implemented.

Following the completion of the searches, the buildings were deemed clear.

Once safety measures were in place, dismissal procedures began. Buses were loaded, parents were permitted to pick up their children, and student drivers were allowed to leave campus in their vehicles.

The Kings Mountain Police Department would like to thank the agencies, emergency personnel, and school administration who assisted with today's response and worked together to ensure the safety of students and staff, including the Kings Mountain Fire Department, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Cleveland County Emergency Management, and Cleveland County EMS.

The circumstances surrounding the threat remain under active investigation. Anyone who may have information related to this incident is asked to contact the Kings Mountain Police Department at 704-734-0444.

Cleveland County Schools statement:

(Bomb threat continued below...)

CCS put out a statement that read in full, "Kings Mountain High School was evacuated this afternoon following an incident on campus. Authorities conducted a thorough search of the campus and determined there was no threat to students or staff. The building was cleared, and Kings Mountain High School will operate on a normal schedule tomorrow.

"The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We appreciate the cooperation and support of our students, staff, families, and local law enforcement throughout the incident. We are proud of the efficient and appropriate response demonstrated by the Kings Mountain High School community."

Follow The Shelby Independent on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. To contact Chuck about a story idea, send an email or visit the contact page.

The Shelby Independent.