The DeRidder Police Department and Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s office are continuing their investigation into a bomb threat directed at the Beauregard Alternative Program in DeRidder, located on Martin Luther King Drive, on Wednesday.

Authorities say the threat was made in a message left on the school’s phone system at 4:37 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and was retrieved from the phone system when personnel arrived on Thursday.

According to a joint release from the two agencies, the message on the phone system stated the person planned “to blow up the school.”

Authorities were immediately dispatched to the scene Thursday morning and evacuated the school, as members of Louisiana State Police and Fort Polk’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team provided assistance with inspecting the building for any evidence of explosive materials.

By Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Craig Richard reported the building had been cleared and deemed safe for school operations to resume.

“The school is back up and running. Our investigators are actively investigating this threat and working as we speak to trace the call and determine where it originated from. We appreciate the assistance from BPSO in responding to this call, as well as the DeRidder Fire Department,” Richard said.