Lockhart K-8 School was hit with two more bomb threats on Wednesday, marking another day of serious disruption at the St. Thomas campus as police took two additional minors into custody. The latest incidents add to at least six other juveniles already arrested this fall in connection with similar false reports.
Police said the 911 Emergency Call Center received the first threat at 8:55 a.m., prompting officers, school security and K-9 units to sweep the campus and issue an all-clear. Investigators located the minor suspected of placing the call at Oswald Harris Court, where he was apprehended and later remanded to the Youth Rehabilitation Center after being booked on multiple charges, including violating a previous court order.
A second threat came in at 1:17 p.m., and officers were able to identify and detain another minor on the Lockhart campus itself. Both juveniles were charged with false reporting in the first, second and third degrees; bomb hoax; disturbance of the peace–threats; and cyber harassment.
The repeated disruptions came on the same day the Virgin Islands Department of Education announced a mandatory ban on student cellphones at Lockhart, a step officials said was necessary after weeks of near-daily threats that halted instruction and heightened anxiety among students and staff. The district said cellphones have contributed to the rapid spread of misinformation during these incidents, fueling panic and making emergency response more difficult.
Under the new policy, students may not bring cellphones onto campus; any device found will be confiscated and returned only after a mandatory parent conference. Daily searches, particularly in grades 5 through 8, will now be part of the school’s safety routine. Officials described the measure as a needed reset to restore stability, protect instructional time and support students’ emotional well-being after repeated evacuations and false alarms.
Parents are required to attend an emergency PTA meeting Thursday at 5:30 p.m. to review updated safety protocols and discuss the implementation of the cellphone ban. Police said the investigation into Wednesday’s threats — and the broader pattern of similar calls — remains active and urged anyone with information to contact 911, the Virgin Islands Police Department or Crime Stoppers VI at 800-222-TIPS.
