Cape student sent to juvenile detention after bomb threat

A 13-year-old student at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School told a teacher he had a bomb in his backpack during a dispute Tuesday.

The threat was quickly determined to be unfounded, but the boy was taken in handcuffs to the Cape Girardeau Juvenile Detention Center after continuing to use abusive language toward teachers and administrators.

Cpl. Alvin Spencer of the Cape Girardeau Police Department was stationed at the school at 7:53 a.m. Tuesday when the threat occurred. Spencer helped search the student's locker and backpack, which were not found to contain anything harmful. Making a terrorist threat is typically a Class C felony in Missouri.

Cape Girardeau Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David Scala said he is not sure what the punishment will be for the student. He said that although it was quickly determined the threat was not real, it had to be treated as if it were.

"With all the incidents across the country and the incidents earlier this year, the students are well aware there is a zero tolerance policy, and they can't be saying anything of that kind," said Scala.

335-6611, extension 245