‘Threatening message’ found in bathroom forces evacuation of Ayers Elementary

Police search building, bomb sniffing dog to check, too

MARTINS FERRY — Ayers Elementary School students are being removed from the building because of a "threatening message" found in a bathroom at the school this morning.

In a phone message sent out to parents at about 11:50 a.m. today, Superintendent Jim Fogle said students were being transferred to the high school/middle school building next door because of the message found inside a restroom at the elementary school building.

The nature of the note was not mentioned in Fogle's message to parents.

"The building is being swept by the Martins Ferry Police Department," Fogle said in the recorded message.

"A staff member from Ayers will contact parents and they may pick up their students at the high school event entrance. If you are unable to pick up your students, they will be bussed at their regular time."

Martins Ferry police Chief John McFarland said the message, which stated "I left a bomb," was written on a bathroom stall.

"It looks like a little kid wrote it," he said.

McFarland said the building already has been cleared by his officers who did not find anything suspicious inside the building. However, a bomb-sniffing dog and handler have been called and are coming from Zanesville to go over the building.