GUERNSEY COUNTY, OHIO — Guernsey County Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden announced that deputies and emergency personnel responded Tuesday morning to the Buffalo Campus of the Mid-East Career and Technology Centers after a written bomb threat was discovered inside the school.
Shortly before 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the Buffalo Campus and school officials were alerted after a written bomb threat was observed in one of the school’s restrooms.
Additional deputies from the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office were requested to respond to the scene. School officials immediately activated the school’s safety plan, and students and staff were evacuated to a designated safety area as a precaution.
Personnel from the Guernsey County Emergency Management Agency and troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol also responded and assisted with traffic control and scene safety.
Investigators contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and requested assistance from a bomb-detection K-9 team. A search of the school was conducted, and the scene was ultimately cleared after no suspicious packages or explosive devices were located.
Sheriff Paden said detectives with the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division will continue working with the School Resource Officer and school officials to determine who is responsible for making the threat.
“School officials and our deputies acted quickly and efficiently to ensure the safety of the students and staff while taking the necessary steps to determine there was no active threat,” Sheriff Paden said.
Sheriff Paden also thanked the Guernsey County Emergency Management Agency, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their quick response and assistance.
The incident remains under investigation, and additional information will be released as appropriate.
