Suspect arrested after bomb threat prompts Gainesville High lockdown

Police arrested a man suspected of making a bomb threat that led to a lockdown at Gainesville High School, Atlanta News First reported. The Hall County 911 center received a call about a bomb on campus, prompting immediate police response and a lockdown to ensure student and staff safety.

Officers found no explosives during their search, according to Capt. Kevin Holbrook of the Gainesville Police Department. Investigators determined the threat likely came from a local caller and was not generated by artificial intelligence, a method seen in other recent threats nationwide.

Authorities identified and arrested 58-year-old Carlos Arevalo at his home in Flowery Branch with help from the FBI and Hall County Sheriff’s Office. Negotiators convinced him to surrender after he was found with a firearm on his rear deck.

Holbrook said Arevalo is believed to have had issues with the government and sought attention through the threat. He has no known connection to Gainesville High School but has faced prior charges in Hall County. Video evidence helped link him to the 911 call.

This incident marks at least the third school threat in metro Atlanta this week, with recent lockdowns at North Atlanta High School and Midtown High School, Atlanta News First noted. The investigation is ongoing.