Police: School security guard called in bomb threats to NCH schools

NORTH COLLEGE HILL, OH (FOX19) - A contracted security guard at North College Hill schools was arrested Wednesday after police say he phoned-in bomb threats two days in a row.

Christopher Darnell Files, 20, is charged with inducing panic, according to Hamilton County Court documents.

Files had only been on the job for two weeks when he called in threats to the middle and high school on Monday, police say. On Tuesday, he threatened the elementary school.

Students and staff were evacuated both days.

Police started tracking the cell phone used to make the threats. By Wednesday, investigators pinged the phone near the elementary school building.

North College Hill Police Chief Ryan Schrand said Files confessed to calling in the threats on Monday and Tuesday while on the job. Files told police he did not actually have a bomb.

A motive for the calls remains unclear, but Schrand said Files mentioned money in one of the phone calls.

"I have a feeling that part of it was, the fact that he was a security officer looking for something more than just patrolling the school," said Schrand.

Students were dismissed early Wednesday following Files' arrest on school grounds. Police reviewed security footage and found a 20-minute period of time where Files was unaccounted for. Although the suspect was in custody, officials decided to dismiss early as a precaution.

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The threats forced district officials to implement new security measures for the remainder of the week. Students are asked to keep all book bags, purses and lunch boxes at home. Bomb dogs will sweep the buildings nightly and police will help re-check buildings each morning, according to a Facebook post.

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