Crime & Safety

Teenager Charged with Making False Bomb Threat

Caused lockdown at Burlingame High School.

A teenager whose threatening email caused a lockdown at Burlingame High School last month has been charged with one misdemeanor count of making a false bomb threat, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Christine Azzolino, 18, is accused of using a male student's computer to send an email to school administrators on Feb. 10 that claimed he had a gun, a bomb, and to shut down the school, according to Burlingame police.

The school went into immediate lockdown. Students were evacuated while four bomb-sniffing police dogs combed the campus and parking lot.

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No bomb was found and no one was injured.

The email was traced back to the male student whose computer was used, and he was subsequently cleared from suspicion.

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Prosecutors believe that Azzolino used the student's email account when he logged on to a school computer and momentarily walked away from his workstation.

Azzolino was arrested on Feb. 13.

She told investigators she had no intention of carrying out the threat, according to the district attorney's office.

Azzolino is scheduled to appear in court to enter a plea on March 28.

She remains out of custody on $50,000 bail.

— Bay City News

Mar 22 2012 5:50am


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