An 18-year-old Manheim Central High School student is charged with making statements about the 1999 Columbine School Shootings at a graduation practice on Thursday.
Colton Charles Yeager’s statements caused an evacuation and search of the graduation site, Lancaster County Bible Church on Mount Joy Road, and the postponement of Thursday’s graduation ceremony.
The ceremony is rescheduled for Friday night.
“After a thorough investigation, no plot or plan of violence was discovered and we are comfortable having ceremonies tonight,” Manheim Borough Police Chief Joseph Stauffer said Friday morning.
Through the investigative efforts of the Manheim Borough Police Department, Detective Ryan Yarnell filed two felony counts of terroristic threats on Friday.
District Judge Bruce Roth arraigned Yeager on Friday morning, and set bail at $1 million, which wasn’t posted.
Yeager is presumed innocent. The investigation is ongoing.
Police outlined the incident this way:
On Thursday, police were notified that Yeager made statements that day about the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School during a graduation practice at Lancaster County Bible Church, 2392 Mount Joy Road.
A student overheard Yeager making statements about the shootings and then confirmed with Yeager if that was what he was talking about. Yeager said he was. The student told Yeager, “If you are going to shoot up graduation tonight, don’t shoot me.”
Yeager replied, “No promises.”
The student recalled a conversation in May when Yeager referred to himself as Eric Harris, one of the Columbine shooters.
School administrators and School Resource Officer Adam Webb were notified and contacted Manheim police. Lancaster County Bible Church was evacuated and searched on Thursday afternoon. Nothing was found.
In an interview with police, Yeager admitted to making the statements at graduation practice.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright