Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SANDY — Alta High School was evacuated and dismissed for the day Wednesday after a suspicious bag was dropped off near the school by a former student, according to the Canyons School District and police.
By 3 p.m., police say the scene had been "cleared and deemed safe."
A bag or backpack was found about 1:30 p.m. outside the school near the performing arts building, said Sandy Police Sgt. Greg Moffit.
Canyons District spokesman Jeff Haney said the school was evacuated out of "an abundance of caution" while police investigate.
Haney said the person who dropped off the backpack has been identified as a person who graduated last year. He did not say how that person was identified. But because a bag with unknown contents was dropped off and left unattended in front of the school, he said district policy was followed and for their safety, students and teachers were told to leave the building and police were called.
Moffit said a bomb squad and bomb-sniffing police K-9s were brought to the school. "Nothing threatening" was found in the bag, he said.
Sandy police used robots to approach the bag, and said inside they found a bottle, a notebook and some clothes.
The investigation into whether any criminal acts were committed is continuing, and police are talking with the person who left the bag.
Contributing: Alex Cabrero, Emily Ashcraft
