Two Teenagers Arrested Following Bomb Threat on Fresno School
FRESNO – A Marine recruit and a recent Bullard High School graduate were both arrested on Thursday in connection to the emailing of a bomb threat to Bullard High’s principal and to taggings on the school and nearby churches in recent months.
Aaron Nevarez, 18, and his 17-year-old brother were both placed in custody. A third suspect is still at large. The boys came to the attention of the police following an email to the principal threatening violence at the school.
The brothers and the third suspect are believed to be the ones who sent the bomb threat on Thursday morning. The email said the bomb would go off on campus, Police Chief Jerry Dyer said.
Nearly half of the students at school did not show up on Thursday after a tweet went viral on Wednesday night stating that someone would “shoot up” the campus. Dyer believes the writers of the tweet were “copycats.” The students who did show up on Thursday were released following the bomb threat.
“It was a horrific waste of time,” Fresno Unified Superintendent Mike Hansen said. “We’re very pleased to have law enforcement, Chief Dyer, his folks do what they do. The FBI and others involved take these things very seriously. The safety of our students and staff is always at the top of our list.”
The three suspects believed to be behind the bomb threat are also suspected of being responsible for tagging the school and for various other graffiti vandalism at nearby churches. The tags are all signed by “The Merry Men,” and included phrases such as “Rebellion against establishment,” and “The oppressed will rise,” Dyer said.
Detectives served a search warrant just before noon on Thursday at a home near the school and arrested Nevarez and his brother.
“We located at the residence several firearms. Some of them were air soft gun, some of them were paint rifles, some of them were actual firearms. We believe they belong to Aaron Nevarez,” Dyer said.
Police are still attempting to locate the third suspect in this case. Dyer did not release the suspect’s name at this time.
Read More:
ABC30: Marine Corps is discharging Nevarez after vandalism, bomb threat
Fresno Bee: Suspects in custody after bomb threat
