FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 Contact: Sergeant Scott Gaarde
Phone: 319-356-5293
Iowa City Police Department arrests West High School bomb threat suspect
On Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 8:40 a.m., the Johnson County Emergency Communications Center (JECC) received a 911 call stating that there was an explosive device at Iowa City West High School, located at 2901 Melrose Avenue. The incoming call was not able to be called back by the dispatchers.
The bomb threat resulted in the evacuation of West High School and the bussing of more than 2,000 students to a secondary location so the school could be searched for an explosive or incendiary device. It also forced the relocation of a polling place to a new location, as there was a Johnson County special election taking place at the time of the threat.
Through the investigation, Iowa City Police Department detectives recovered the phone that made the 911 call reporting the bomb threat from the subject’s car after the subject was apprehended for a different charge. Clifton Rayner Brinkmeyer, DOB 10-14-1985, of 739 Perry Court in Iowa City, had previously been taken into custody for a bank robbery at the U.S. Bank located at 1117 William Street in Iowa City. The robbery occurred approximately 20 minutes after the bomb threat was received at West High School. Additional information on the bank robbery is available at https://icgov.org/news/iowa-city-police-department-investigates-bank-robbery-east-side-us-bank.
For the bomb threat, Brinkmeyer has been charged with Threat of Terrorism, which is a class D felony. Brinkemeyer was taken into custody and transported to the Johnson County Jail without incident. Brinkmeyer was charged on Jan. 19 with Robbery in the Second Degree, a class C felony, but was released after posting the required bond amount.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. For more information, contact Sergeant Scott Gaarde at 319-356-5293 or scott-gaarde@iowa-city.org.
