UPDATE: Bomb threat at Linn-Mar, Iowa City possibly part of threats nationwide

UPDATE: The Linn-Mar School district says no explosives were found after a bomb threat called-in to Excelsior Middle School Monday afternoon. The district evacuated students and staff to Lowe Park for a brief time while police searched the building. Students will be back at school Tuesday and can pick up personal items left behind at that time.

UPDATE: A bomb threat called-in to Tate High School in Iowa City was also a robo-call. That is similar to bomb threats called in to schools across the country in at least 10 states nationwide.

UPDATE: Bomb threats called in nationwide may be related to a threat made at a Linn-Mar school.

KCRG-TV9 has confirmed phoned-in bomb threats hit school districts from Massachusetts to Utah, including at least three Iowa schools. Each call has been a robo-like call. Marion police say the called-in threat at Excelsior Middle School was also a robo-call and hit at the same time as the others reported nationwide. Police say they are still investigating if the calls are somehow connected to those other threats.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Linn-Mar schools officials report someone phoned a bomb threat to Excelsior Middle School about 12:30 p.m. Monday. The school was immediately evacuated, with students going to Lowe Park.

Marion Police are conducting a search of the building, which they said will take several hours.

The school is dismissing students to parents/guardians or placed on their normal bus routes from Lowe Park, 4500 N. 10th Street. Buses will run at their normal time.

Many other schools across the country are also reporting telephoned bomb threats, including Altoona and West Des Moines.