Classes ended early in Bradshaw yesterday after a bomb threat, written in graffiti, forced a full evacuation of River View High School and Sandy River Middle School. Staff spotted the threat on a wall just after noon on September 11 and immediately called the sheriff. Buses arrived within minutes, and students were moved off campus while parents received alerts by phone and text.

Deputies and state police sealed off the area as bomb-sniffing dogs swept every hallway and locker. By late afternoon, investigators confirmed what many suspected: no device was found. The graffiti was a false threat, but it shut down two schools for the day and tied up nearly every available deputy in the county. Parents in outlying hollows drove long mountain roads to meet buses, and the usual quiet of the Panther District filled with sirens and flashing lights. McDowell County Schools says classes resumed today with extra patrols and counseling staff on hand.

Investigators are reviewing security footage and have not announced any arrests. In a county of fewer than 17,000 people, an incident like this ripples fast, a reminder of how quickly a few words of spray paint can upend an entire day.