School project mistaken for bomb led to Bailey Middle evacuation in Cornelius

A plastic pipe that may have been part of a school project was responsible for the bomb scare that sent middle school students home on Monday morning in Cornelius, police said.

Officers found the plastic pipe near a mobile classroom at Bailey Middle School when searching the school after students were evacuated.

The pipe had “been there for quite some time for a possible school project,” a police press release said.

Police used dogs to search the school.

School was dismissed due to the threat, as well as the time of day and inclement weather, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district press release said.

William Amos Hough High School was placed on modified lockdown due to its proximity to the middle school.

Principal David Farley said in a message to families of Hough students — in a post that was shared on Facebook by several people — that Bailey Middle school received a bomb threat, that students and staff were not in danger, and that classes would continue.

Cornelius police wrote on social media Monday morning that Bailey students were shuttled to the Foamex plant parking lot on Old Statesville Road and that officers would be on site to answer questions.

“We are aware of the situation at Bailey Middle School. We are handling the situation and parents need to report to Foamex and NOT come to the school or Bailey Road Park,” Cornelius police wrote on social media.

Initially, the school district and police didn’t say what “the situation” was, leading people on Facebook to ask what was going on.

“Police are investigating an alleged incident at the school. Messaging has been sent to families,” Susan Vernon-Devlin, the CMS executive director for media relations and crisis communications, said in an email to The Charlotte Observer on Monday morning.

This story was originally published September 16, 2024 at 12:00 PM.