Blair evacuated due to bomb threat

Montgomery Blair High School received an anonymous bomb threat this morning Friday, Oct. 13. Blair principal Renay Johnson announced the threat in a 6:45 a.m. email to parents. Students and staff were immediately evacuated while the building was cleared by Montgomery County Police and Blair security. Montgomery County Police gave the all-clear at 9:20 a.m. and students entered the building through the SAC entrance for their third-period class at 9:21 a.m.

At 5:30 a.m., Principal Renay Johnson found three messages in her spam folder that indicated the presence of multiple bombs in the Blair building that were set to detonate at 8:40 a.m. She immediately contacted David McBain, the county's police commander for the third district, and police units with canine dogs were dispatched. Police first searched and cleared the stadium, blocking all vehicular entrances to campus until the building was clear. Security Team Leader Adrian Kelly announced that staff and students in the building should evacuate to the stadium. Buses were redirected from Blair campus, with some driving to Eastern and Northwood instead. 

Staff and security redirected all arriving students to the stadium, and buses started dropping off students by the softball field at 7:30 a.m. Parents could pick up students by the fire station next to Blair with appropriate identification, but students were otherwise not allowed to leave the stadium. Administration informed staff at around 8:30 that students may be able to return to the building at 9:30 a.m.

Police gave the all-clear at 9:20 a.m. and students reentered the building for their third-period class. Johnson sent a letter out to parents at 10:27 a.m. to provide additional details. "The well-being of our students remains our utmost priority, and we took every precaution to ensure their safety throughout this incident...We understand that events like these can be concerning to our school community, and I want to assure you that we have taken appropriate measures to address the situation promptly and efficiently," Johnson says in the letter.

Blair's Homecoming events are set to continue as scheduled.

Home side bleachers view of away

Photo: Students file to fill the away side of the bleachers at 7:54 a.m.

Students file to fill the away side of the bleachers at 7:54 a.m.

Home side bleachers lockdown

Photo: Students fill the home side of the bleachers at the Blair stadium at 8:03 a.m.

Students fill the home side of the bleachers at the Blair stadium at 8:03 a.m.

Students enter the stadium at 7:54

Photo: Students enter the stadium at 7:54

Students enter the stadium at 7:54

View of students entering the stadium from the road into the Blair parking lot.

Photo: View of students entering the stadium from the road into the Blair parking lot at 7:45 a.m.

View of students entering the stadium from the road into the Blair parking lot at 7:45 a.m.