Official: Delayed start at Copiague high school after bomb threat

A bomb threat forced a two-hour delay to the start of classes Monday at Walter G. O’Connell High School in Copiague, school officials said.

In a text to district students and parents, district Superintendent Kathleen Bannon said the threat was “emailed to high school administration” about 3:30 a.m. — and that the Suffolk County Police Department was immediately notified.

She wrote that the building had been “determined safe” and said “there was no evidence to substantiate a threat.”

Police confirmed there were officers at the school Monday, saying they had been notified of the threat by a school administrator about 5:50 a.m. In a statement Monday, police said officers “assisted school officials with a search of the school.”

No threat was found, police said, adding that First Squad detectives are investigating.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”