‘Trigger those flashbacks;’ Fake bomb threat at school could have lasting impact on students, staff

HUBER HEIGHTS — A fake bomb threat at a local high school could have lasting effects on the student’s mental health.

Students and staff at Wayne High School in Huber Heights went on soft lockdown after a 911 caller told dispatchers they were inside the school with a bomb.

News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson spoke with a psychologist who said these situations can leave a lasting impact on students, even if they are fake.

“I’m inside Wayne High School with a bomb and I’m going to bomb the school in like two minutes if you don’t send people after me,” A 911 caller told dispatchers, triggering a soft lockdown while Police searched the school.

The caller told dispatchers they were in a bathroom and that they had a gun and a knife and were going to hurt people.

The threat was determined to be fake, but Julie Manuel, who has worked in the Mental Health Field for nearly 20 years, says it can still leave a lasting impact.

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“You see a cop car, you hear sirens, or you hear things that maybe trigger those flashbacks,” Manuel said.

She referred to it as Chicken Little syndrome.

“The sky is falling and we go to absolute worst-case scenario,” Manuel said.

Manuel said using grounding techniques to pull yourself out of that anxious state is important.

“Go for a hard walk really quick to get those feelings out, you know, so going for a quick brisk walk or going for a jog, talking about the emotions with someone who you trust, maybe somebody who’s been in that same experience,” Manuel said. “It’s really important for parents, for partners, for spouses, for families, to normalize what you’re feeling.”

Huber Heights Police said they do not have a suspect and investigators are trying to figure out who the caller was.

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