KEYSER, W.Va. — Eight Keyser Primary-Middle School students have been suspended in connection with bomb threats made every day this week at the school, including one late Thursday morning, according to Mineral County Schools Superintendent Skip Hackworth.

A suspect also has been identified in connection with a bomb threat that was made late Wednesday afternoon at Keyser High School. The school was searched by police and a basketball game scheduled Wednesday evening was canceled as a result of the threat, Hackworth said.

Thursday, a note was found in a hallway at Keyser Primary-Middle School during lunch break indicating that a bomb was left in the school. The building was searched by police, as it was every day this week following the threats, but no explosive devices were found. The threat prompted relocation of primary grade students to the technical center and middle school students to the Keyser Fire Hall.

At Keyser High, students were met Thursday by six police officers who checked the students before allowing entry into the school. Backpacks and big bags are no longer being allowed at Keyser High or Keyser Primary-Middle School as a result of this week’s bomb threats.

Charges are pending in juvenile court against the eight Keyser Primary-Middle students who have been suspended. Administrative hearings for each of the students will be held Dec. 15, Hackworth said.

Charges are also pending against the suspect in the Keyser High threat who was identified Thursday. Petitions for formal charges against the students are being handled by Mineral County Prosecuting Attorney Jay Courier.

Hackworth said surveillance cameras in the schools and information provided by students factored in the investigations that were conducted by Keyser City Police Department with assistance of West Virginia State Police, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office and West Virginia Department of Natural Resources personnel.

Under West Virginia law, conviction of the misdemeanor offense of falsely reporting an emergency incident is punishable by a fine of up to $500 and a jail term of up to six months, according to Mineral County Magistrate David Harman.

“We just can’t tolerate this,” said Hackworth.

Keyser Police Chief Karen Shoemaker said each case was closed within 24 hours by identifying the students responsible for the threats. Charging documents were then compiled by Keyser Police.

“These are very serious incidents and I am very proud of our officers and appreciative of the assistance we have received from our allied agencies,” said Shoemaker. She also said her office received assistance from Potomac State College Campus Police.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.