A 17-year-old from Casa Grande has been booked on charges that include making a terrorist threat after authorities allege the juvenile sent a text message indicating there was a bomb on the campus of Ottawa University-Arizona in Surprise, police said.

The teen was arrested on Thursday. Earlier in the day, about 1:30 p.m. Nov. 30, the university received the text message and, along with Surprise officers, staff evacuated everyone from the campus.

K-9 officers from multiple agencies conducted a sweep of the campus. No explosive devices were found, and the campus was deemed safe, according to a Surprise Police Department release.

“The criminal investigation revealed the message was sent from a 17-year-old Casa Grande resident,” the release stated.

With the assistance of the Casa Grande Police Department, the juvenile was taken into custody and turned over to Surprise police detectives.

“The juvenile admitted to detectives he sent the threatening text message,” the release stated.

The juvenile was booked into Maricopa County Durango Juvenile Detention Center on one count of interference with or disruption of an educational institution and one count of making a terrorist threat. 

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Surprise police at 623-222-4000, 623-222-8477 or email crimetips@surpriseaz.gov. The incident number is 231106325.

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