U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. John Coulter, 824th Base Defense Squadron military working dog handler, and MWD Ttyrant, simulate securing the area Oct. 6, 2016, at Moody Air Force Base near Valdosta. Search teams like Coulter and Ttyrant from the base and other South Georgia law enforcement agencies searched Colquitt County High School Saturday after a Facebook message claimed there was a bomb there. No bomb was found.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office declared Colquitt County High School to be safe after an apparent bomb threat over the weekend.

According to a CCSO press release, the office was notified Saturday about a bomb threat made on Facebook sometime Friday. 

According to Sheriff’s Office Investigator Katrina Johnson, the suspect, Elphonso Moore Sr., had made the threat on a Facebook Group called Trash Talk Sports South.

Within this post Moore claimed to have planted C4 explosives that were set to go off Monday morning at the sound of the first bell. CCSO advised Colquitt County School Superintendent Doug Howell and Principal Jamie Dixon to close the school Saturday.

On Saturday, officers and K-9 work dogs from the Albany Police Department, the Georgia Department of Corrections, Moody Air Force Base and CCSO searched the school. 

“Every building at the school was searched including Packer Park and the athletic fields,” said Johnson. 

No evidence of explosives was found and the school was reopened Sunday without incident. Dixon remarked how efficient and helpful the CCSO was. 

“Sheriff Howell and every member of all of the departments that responded were Johnny-on-the-spot,” Dixon said. “Everything was handled so well and it was just a smooth operation.”

Moore lives in Valdosta with no apparent ties to Moultrie or the high school, Johnson said. Lowndes County sheriff’s deputies apprehended him, she said. 

Moore is currently at the Colquitt County Jail charged with felony terroristic threats and acts.

“Any threat will be investigated anywhere within our city or county. Especially when you’re dealing with children, our response and their punishment will be severe,” stated Johnson.