By Bethany Adams
The Trussville Tribune
TRUSSVILLE –UPDATE 5:43 p.m. ATF Special Agent in Charge David Hyche confirmed Thursday night that suspicious device found on a vehicle at Magnolia Elementary School contained explosive material. Agents did a 12 inch by 12 inch grid search of the area after the package was shot with a water filled shotgun shell to disable the device.
Sources say the explosive material was believed to be gunpowder. Wires and a digital timer were visible when the package was discovered following a 911 call reporting a Hispanic man was seen leaving the package on the school ground.
UPDATE 12:33 p.m.– According to Captain Bridges, the bomb squad successfully neutralized the package just before noon, and the FBI will examine the device to see if it contained explosives.
Officers have blocked off the parking lot to preserve evidence, and an investigation is underway. There is currently no information on who placed the package.
Parents are now welcome to check their children out using the bus line.
UPDATE 12:12 p.m.– According to Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill, all schools were placed under soft lock down during the investigation.
UPDATE 12:07 p.m.– The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad disarmed the package through the use of a disruptor, according to on site officials. The school has been downgraded to a soft lock down, and children are currently being returned to their classrooms. According to Trussville City School Board President Sid McNeal, officers are working to establish a protocol allowing parents to pick up their children.
TRUSSVILLE –Captain Jeff Bridges of the Trussville Police Department said a 911 caller on Wednesday morning told police a bomb had been placed in front of Magnolia Elementary School in Trussville.
The caller said he saw a Hispanic male place a package in front of the school. Officers arrived to find a box with wires and a timer attached and placed the school on lock down. The package was on a vehicle on the south end of the parking lot.
The Jefferson county Sheriff’s Office bomb squad was called to the school. Those officers are on site at this time.
“The bomb squad will remove the package to the woods x-ray it and shoot it,” Bridges said.
According to Bridges, all the students are safe and in the hardened room inside the school. Trussville police officers are inside with them.
“The best thing for parents to do is stay away from the school right now,” Bridges said. “The kids are watching movies and they’re safe, and we have people with them.”
Bridges said, “The school will remain on lock down until the issue is resolved.”
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
166 Comments
Sheila Isabell Wood
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Kristy Banes Rosenow
Omg how scary!
George Abrasley
Hope the law finds the person that did the threat.
Erica McNeal
Renee Bunting Robertson
Stephanie Sides
Any up dates?
Laura Lopresti
Andrea Kennemur Wood
Joanna Shepherd Edge
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Laura McLaughlin
Mary Kay Shields Franks Amanda Bridges Dunn Kallie Frandsen Laura Hathcock Gibbs
Kimberly D Hughes
Heather Vandiver
Jen Rodda Fox
Does anyone know if all the elementary schools are on lockdown as a precaution?
Lauren Toohey Nye
Sure wish they would have informed the parents of the students in the school before we read it on facebook!!!
Tanya Watkins Gagliano
Following
Claire Adnyana
Anne Snider Steward
Elizabeth Dickey Brewer
Justin Amy Brandon
Stephanie Sides
Indeed!
Stephanie Graves
Eve Snider
Chasity Pearce Eady
Cristina Bryant
Kinosha K Pettway
Heather Vandiver
Leah Bates
Is there a reason why we parents get to read about this on FB news report rather than an update via robocall, or text, or something, or did I just not get that? I understand too that they may not want to alarm parents. But if that is the case… We are now alarmed.
Jenny McCollister Auvil
i thought the same!
Deborah McCord
Scum bag!!!
Emily Averett Warner
Tiffany Taylor
Bethany Gough Valdez
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Lauren Toohey Nye
Jenny McCollister Auvil I understand they don’t want parents showing up there but we need to know what is going on
Sondra Martin
Have the other schools been checked?
Bonnie Melendez Arnold
Liz Merrill, I’ve been trying to call you!
Deborah McCord
Guess they are dealing with the chaos!! But I would be upset too!!!
Barbara Smith Russell
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Crystal Bridges
A family member (not from here) called to tell me she heard it in the radio! Yes, it would have been nice.
Leah Bates
I understand needing to keep it under control by not announcing just yet…. However, the Trussville The Trussville Tribune Has now announced it for those that just happen to catch it in their news feed. Good Job!
Jessica Ellenburg Worsham
I was wondering the same
Lauren Toohey Nye
Crystal Bridges my husband just happened to drive by and see the emergency vehicles
Jeanni Helms Orazine
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Nicki Christian
Well I think their first concern is your child first and making sure they are in a safe location.
Crystal Bridges
Nice.
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Yes on lockdown. No one in or out of the school at this time.
Brenna Wilson
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Jen Rodda Fox
Lauren Lawrence Taylor do you know is this just magnolia or also at Paine and cahaba?
Amy Kirchner Posey
Students and teachers are in a storm shelter and aren’t aware. Students are told it’s a drill. Robot just removed package from vehicle and they are taking it to nearby woods to blow it up. Told it would only be big enough to damage a vehicle and students aren’t in danger, per Trussville police. Im outside on street by school so just thought I’d let parents know what was said.
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
I’m wondering the same! We sign up at the beginning of the year to be able to receive text alerts ab things like this!
Elizabeth George Smith
I am wondering the same thing!!! With all the ways they have to notify us, why am I learning about this this way?!?!
Kimberly Rochelle
It was very nice of you to provide this info. Thank you.
Crystal Bridges
Nicki Christian, by brother is a Bham cop. I understand. But, the news shouldn’t know before us.
Jen Rodda Fox
I was wondering the same thing
Nicki Christian
What would you parents that are complaining about reading it on Facebook, do if there was no Facebook? They are getting the info out as fast as they can and it sounds like they are handling it properly by making sure your children and the staff are safe first.
Phyllis Killian
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Chad Perry
Thanks
Leah Bates
Amy Thank you for the update! Please keep us worried parents updated.
Stephanie Richards
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Erin Wadsworth
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Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Not even close. When school is cancelled in the mornings due to snow or ice everyone is sent a mass text alert within minutes. There’s no excuse as to why parents were not notified.
Kari Patterson Brooker
Have the other schools been checked??
Kerri Mahaffey
Media probably heard the info on police scanner and called the police station for info. I seriously doubt anyone called the media on their own.
Nicki Christian
I have tons of friends and family who are police officers also. The news listens to the scanners, that is how they now before you do.
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Jen Rodda Fox oh I’m sorry I read that in such a panicked rush. I have no idea.
Meredith Ward Erwin
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Brianne Scott
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Jen Rodda Fox
Lauren Lawrence Taylor that’s ok I totally understand
Nicki Christian
They can not get into the office to make the calls or send the text, did you think about that? EVERYONE has to be in the shelter!
Becky Morgan
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Eve Snider
I know…I’m freaking out!
Keri Harper
I actually got an update from my child’s teacher before I read it here.
Tom Clark Jr.
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Stephanie Graves
🙁 Stay Calm. It looks like they have a plan in place.
Teresa Stone Edwards
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Mike Rudick
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Amy Kirchner Posey
They just said 5 minutes and package will be shot and then kids can be checked out of school. So I’m in car line
Nite Arkitek
Timothy Howell
Lauren Toohey Nye
Nicki Christian I agree, but my husband happened to drive by over 1.5 hours ago and see the emergency vehicles….we should have been notified
Tina Lavies
OMG!!
Robbie White Price
Crystal Trowbridge Burford
Kari Patterson Brooker
Amy Agnew Gay
Tanya Coy Richards
I think it’s just Magnolia. If others we would have been notified.
Renee Pierce
I am sure they have. Even the high school is not allowed outside right now.
Jenna Keith
Following
Eve Snider
I’m going to spend Charlie’s whole nap time on the computer waiting for an update. I’m hearing gunshots
Nicki Patterson
Lynne Simpson McCollister Karen Flynn Varner Karen Colaiuta Yekel
Tiffany Taylor
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Eve Snider
Or just one…
Jen Rodda Fox
Well the magnolia parents were not notified so I assume we would not get notified either I just would feel better if I knew they had checked and everything was clear
Tiffany Taylor
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Tamatha Patterson
Me too – should have told us
Teresa Stone Edwards
It was just announced on the news
Eve Snider
I just heard a gunshot coming from the direction of the school…
Teresa Reynolds Mathews
https://www.facebook.com/magnoliaelementary/
Kelly Quick Burttram
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Kaylen Weeks Apodaca
Susan Fendley – Raughton
Amy Kirchner Posey
Shot fired and waiting on all clear to check student out.
Jennifer Cranford Haynes
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Elizabeth George Smith
Thank you!
Danielle Quick Jones
They were taking the suspicious box out in the woods to shot it
Nicki Christian
They could not get to the office EVERYONE had to be in the shelter.
Christy Hodgson Long
Does ABC3340 know about this yet?
Lesley Rogers Childs
All schools are on lockdown
Jennifer Jebeles Beaver
Praying for all involved.
Cara Michelle Yager
I have never received a mass text when school is out
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Nicki Christian so there’s not a single laptop or smartphone with anyone right now?
Cat Henderson Reid
Thank you for the info! My granddaughter goes there and we are out of town so your update helped tremendously!
Stephanie Graves
Yeah.. I am hoping that means that it is small but with the drought maybe not the best idea…
Eve Snider
I read that. I’m hoping that’s what I heard and it’s over. Sounded like a gunshot but I was inside. All I can hear outside is a tractor on the farm down the hill from us and dogs barking.
Jennifer Ford Snyder
They detonated the package…no secondary explosion. A sweep did not find anything else. Per a parent on the scene
Gretchen Larsson Bichler
How did you find that out? I was just going to get my kids.
Kimberly Brown Vaughn
Because it is a suspicious package left in a car outside the school they may have purposely withheld the information. In today’s times it could have been a parent of a child from the school involved in a custody dispute or something and they didn’t want to send a robo call or text that could possibly give a “head’s up” to the culprit that the package had been located until after its disposal. This was probably done in an effort to keep your children safe and not to keep parents in the dark. Also, it would make the emergency response team’s job harder if parents found out and compounded the problem with increased traffic and calling the office. Your emergency response team and your school administration has acted in the best interest of your children. Prayers for everyone’s nerves and your children’s safety.
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Also they were able to post on their Facebook about 30 minutes ago. But what about the parents who don’t have Facebook, or are at work not looking at the Trussville tribunes website. When I was a kid the parents had call lists and the teacher would contact the room mom, room mom would contact her list of people, those people would call people. Maybe we need to do that since technology has failed in this particular situation.
Stephanie Graves
The students are in a storm shelter
Karen Colaiuta Yekel
Thanks for thinking of me Nicki Patterson – Candis actually went near there and they said children were safe in safety shelter. I emailed William’s teacher and she did respond with “we are okay”
Lori Beth Richey
I left Paine about 30 minutes ago. They were not on lockdown at that time
Elizabeth George Smith
Nicki, I understand your point and there is no doubt we are thankful for the staff that are keeping our kids safe and ensuring that is their top priority! We have an amazing school and staff and I know they are doing the best they can! But, it’s still hard to think clearly through all of that when your kid is there in the middle of it all and all you want is info! I hope you can understand that perspective as well!
Traci Marek Bacon
Lauren Lawrence Taylor Maybe everyone involved at the school are more concerned about ensuring the kids are safe and being taken care of and not so much with sending out texts
Eve Snider
I know they are safe and Trussville PD is amazing but I’m still going to worry. Even though the kids have “No idea” Eva is going to come home talking about a bomb.
Emma Katherine Sullivan
I drove by at about 9 today and saw a Hispanic guy walking around looking around at the ground and it gave me a really weird feeling for some reason. Wonder if it was him
Kandel Gillison Bridges
Always call police for suspicious people
Jessica Ellenburg Worsham
Emma I think you should tell the cops, u maybe able to id guy
Emma Katherine Sullivan
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking I’ll give them a call!
Gretchen Larsson Bichler
Lori Beth Richey ok, thanks
Jennifer Chinnis Lawley
Yes. Please call TPD and let them know description.
Amanda Glidewell
They were told just not to go outside.
Sondra Martin
Getting these children out of harms way and making sure everyone is safe is more important than causing panic and chaos at the school. It appears they’ve done their job well. I applaud them for their level heads and composure. Way to go Trussville School System!
Carla Tramell Sweet
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Jackie Seay
Paine is not. I just checked my daughter out. Everything is fine there.
Emma Katherine Sullivan
Brooke Naramore McKinneyKaila Kristine Naramore
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Traci Marek Bacon it doesn’t take hours to get them into a safe room, only minutes. There’s no excuse for not notifying parents. Like I said they posted on their Facebook page but not everyone sees that. It would’ve taken the same amount of time if not less to send a mass text to all parents. Arguing about this isn’t going to solve the problem. I’m done commenting. I will voice my concerns with the school from now on. I have a right to know what’s going on with MY child and hear it from the school. I have contacted quiet a few working parents that had absolutely no idea any of this was going on bc they’re not on FB at work.
Lauren Lawrence Taylor
Cara Michelle Yager you have to sign up for it on their website. They send out info about it when school starts for the year.
Lesley Rogers Childs
That is what they call a soft lockdown
Jackie Seay
I just got my daughter at Paine about 15 minutes ago. Everything was calm there so that’s good.
Laura Lopresti
Amanda Kennemur McLaughlin
Jessica Ellenburg Worsham
Article was updated
Leah Bates
The complaint is that it hold not have been leaked until it was under control. Since it was leaked an official next order of business or status of the kids would be helpful. Cause once they come out of bomb shelter they r gonna find out it wasn’t a drill.
Christy Carr
Jan Griffin Jones
Krystal Mendez
Brandon Gilliland
Nikki Clemons Higgins
Michelle Nix Anderson
Ryan Jennings
If the call came in to the Trussville PD, the PD should contact the board, and the board should at least notify the parents and let us know. I understand the teachers and administrators being in a rush and following code to get the kids safe at the school, but the board should notify us. I drove by, and regardless of how many parents may overreact and drive to the school immediately, wasnt a damn soul getting past the barricades etc. I proud of our local paper for getting the story out asap. Heck i work for the tribune! But still think its crazy that parents should find out from an outside source BEFORE we find out from the school or the board. Finding out this way ACTUALLY causes more fear and panic for the parents whose kids are in the school.
Elizabeth George Smith
Just got my baby! The school did an amazing job of helping calm the nerves of us frantic parents! Thank you all, Magnolia Elementary staff!
Martha D Till
Mark McLaughlin is this near Bailey & Mallory?
Amanda Bridges Dunn
I’m thankful they were more concerned about getting my child to safety, then making sure they put out an all-call to parents. Thank you Magnolia staff!!
Brandi Stanford
Chasity Talley what the crap.
Mark McLaughlin
Not really. Thanks for the heads-up, though.
Roxanne Keith Corbett
Wow…. Yes. I hope they’ve checked the other schools too.
Angela McRae-Hooks
Joy Thompson Smith
Kristi Salmon Bates
Vanessa Cadena Carlisle Dianne Garman Rotenberry
Randi Miller
Tanya Coy Richards You would not have been notified. According to Cahaba Elementary AND the school district it is not policy to notify parents of soft lockdowns.
Kristi Salmon Bates
Katie Jones Bates
Laura Hathcock Gibbs
Our children were safe. Yes I would have liked a text instead of someone as my husbands work yelling him and he calling me. But I was 4 streets from.the school and was up there in 1 min. And as soon as it was clear I got my girl and took her home to reassure her she was safe and her school did all they could to keep her safe. I would have much rather them.bw focusing on my child then texting me
Lynne Simpson McCollister
I had been in touch with Jenny. John and Sam were on the field trip and safe. She had been in touch with one of their chaperones
Tara Bradshaw Sellers
Is anyone else very disappointed that we did not hear from the administration on this and have only heard about it on Facebook and now on Fox 6 news? Shouldn’t there have been an email or School cast sent out to the parents? They posted something on Trussville City Schools after the fact.
Tara Bradshaw Sellers
Ryan Jennings Yes!! There should have been a school cast with info saying do not come up here, but here is what we know…
Edwina Glass Williams
If the car blew up, would the gas tank not be a problem? Only big enough to blow up car is kinda bad statement to me.
Edwina Glass Williams
Did an actual “call” go to police or did someone just kind the “suspicious” package?
Amy Kirchner Posey
I was very pleased with how it was handled and the storm shelter was on opposite end of the school. Getting any information at all is always a good thing, so I can’t complain.
Gretchen Larsson Bichler
They should have sent a robo call or something. (Maybe is was crazy at Magnolia, but one of the other schools could have done it.) I found it very unprofessional to not let parents know what was going on.
Elizabeth Dickey Brewer
I have seen a lot of upset parents for lack of communication and finding out on Facebook via trussville tribunes post. Glad your kiddos are okay. And praying for trussville and Magnolia.
Jessica Toro Hardisson
Barbie MrsToro
Barbie MrsToro
Yup.
Jennifer Ford Snyder
Hopefully it wasn’t a parent walking home after walking his child to school and chitchatting with friends or teachers.
Claire Eagan
Jonathan Hill
Beth Furr
So thankful we have amazing teachers and staff at Trussville schools that make the safety of our babies a #1 priority, they handled an emergency situation professionally and swiftly – those sweet babies didn’t even know there was an emergency. So thankful they’re all safe!
Jordan Hamilton
Lovie May IV
Jordan Hamilton
Literally right up the road from my house
Crystal Bridges
Lauren Toohey Nye, same thing. This had been going on for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs before we heard.
Lovie May IV
Wow
Jordan Hamilton
Lovie May IV yeah man
Brooke Baker
Exactly!
Focus and handle the possible- fatal issue at hand and answer questions later!!
Nothing is ever good enough anymore. 🙁
Tara Bradshaw Sellers
Gretchen Larsson Bichler yes central office at TCS should have done it.
Tara Bradshaw Sellers
Gretchen Larsson Bichler yes central office at TCS should have done it.
Gretchen Larsson Bichler
And they still have not addressed the situation. Parents have not been informed about anything. Thank God for the news!
Gretchen Larsson Bichler
And they still have not addressed the situation. Parents have not been informed about anything. Thank God for the news!