John Bowden, the 19-year-old graduate of Cheltenham High School who entered the school on Wednesday, October 8 without permission and in possession of an airsoft Mac-10 machine gun, was also behind a bomb threat made at the Elkins Park School on April 22, according to WillowGroveNow’s previous coverage.

According to an email sent to district families by superintendent Dr. Brian W. Scriven, another student discovered a suspicious item along with a series of notes. The Cheltenham Township Police Department requested support from the Montgomery County Bomb Squad.

“After a thorough inspection involving bomb-sniffing dogs and x-ray imaging, the package was determined to contain inert devices that posed no safety threat to students or staff. Students and staff were cleared to re-enter the building at 12:45 p.m,” Dr. Scriven wrote, adding that the student responsible for bringing the package to school was taken into custody.

“We understand incidents like this can cause concern, and we are grateful for the swift response of our students, staff, and local law enforcement. The safety and well-being of our school community remain a top priority,” Dr. Scriven wrote.

Bowden was charged with felonies of placement or setting of a weapon of mass destruction, terroristic threats, and other charges.

A potential school threat was also directed toward Cedarbrook Middle School around 8:00pm on April 24.

Surveillance video from Wednesday showed Bowden pulling the fire alarm while inside the building. According to NBC10, he had since been banned from the property and rode a school bus before entering the high school.

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