DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Students and staff at Ponderosa High School evacuated the building Tuesday morning after a school resource officer (SRO) found what the Douglas County Sheriff's Office later determined was an explosive device.
The sheriff's office said that around 9:30 a.m., the SRO learned that a student may have brought a suspicious device to school in a backpack. The SRO found and detained the student and the backpack.
The bomb team examined the item while the school was evacuated out of an abundance of caution, the sheriff's office said. The team wanted to confirm no other devices were inside the school.
The device was examined and later determined to be some type of explosive. However, the sheriff's office said detectives await "final confirmation from the experts."
Update to post at 5:00 p.m. It has been determined that the device inside the backpack was an explosive device. Detectives are waiting on final confirmation from the experts.
— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) March 5, 2025
The DCSO's explosive detection dog, among other trained K-9s, were brought in. Students and staff were allowed back into the building around 11:40 a.m. after a bomb team gave the "all clear."
No injuries were reported. A juvenile male was taken into custody, according to the sheriff's office.
Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident and will determine if the sheriff's office should recommend charges against the student.
Ponderosa High School, part of the Douglas County School District, is located at 7007 Bayou Gulch Road outside the town of Parker.
___
Colorado Springs company notifies state of planned layoffs
A company that employs around 1,000 people in Colorado Springs notified the state Tuesday that it's planning layoffs.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
