FBI investigating over 18 hoax bomb threats emailed to Oregon schools, airports, synagogues, including Crook County schools

(Update: Adding video interview with special agent in charge)

Special agent in charge urges Oregonians to remain vigilant, report suspicious activity

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The FBI in Portland confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating more than 18 e-mailed hoax bomb threats with similar language that were sent Monday to schools, airports and houses of worship across the state. The Crook County School District confirmed it received one that landed in a spam email folder.

"The FBI is aware of several threatening e-mail messages that were recently sent to various Oregon schools, airports and houses of worship," Special Agent-in-Charge Kieran Ramsey said in a statement provided to NewsChannel 21.

"While the FBI has no information to indicate these threats are credible at this time, public safety agencies can never simply discount such threats as a nuisance," Ramsey said. "Hoax threats put innocent people at risk and can easily distract and deplete limited public safety resources."

"We recognize these threats have already been extremely disruptive to classrooms and elsewhere," he added. "The FBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to determine if the threats are connected in any way and we will act upon threat information as it comes to our attention. We urge the public to remain vigilant and report all suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately."

 An FBI representative said, "At this point, the FBI is investigating more than 18 incidents with similar language and threats (that) were received yesterday (and) did contain a bomb threat. We have not released those locations, but they are all across the state."

The FBI confirmed later Tuesday they have several good leads into the sender of the emails, identifying an overseas IP (internet) address associated with the attack.

On Monday, bomb threats triggered evacuations at several schools across Oregon, including the Central Linn, Cascade, Colton, Corbett and Arlington school districts, OPB reported Tuesday. Many students who evacuated their schools Monday were able to return to class on Tuesday.

Some Oregon synagogues have received emailed threats, including Congregation Beth Israel in Portland, Rabbi Michael Cahana told OPB.

 Crook County School District Communications Director Jason Carr said the district’s Technology Department discovered the email Tuesday, which ended up in a spam folder at 10:39 a.m. Monday due to the email address nerdmail.co with username “iwillgougeyoureyesout0.”

"Students and staff were never in danger, and law enforcement confirmed it was not a credible threat," Carr wrote in a news release

He said school district leaders met with the Prineville Police Department and agreed it was best to inform families about the hoax email.

"CCSD takes all threats seriously and is grateful for our School Resource Officers who help keep our building safe and secure," Carr said. "Officers Jeff Coffman and Kathryn Bottoms walked through school buildings and found nothing suspicious. The Crook County Sheriff’s Office did the same at Powell Butte Charter School." 

Carr added that the "Crook County School District staff will monitor spam folders more closely to ensure future emails containing fake and real threats are discovered immediately. We know that even a hoax threat like this can cause concern for families, so the district supports families who want to keep their children home."