A 19-year-old student at Finger Lakes Community College is facing a felony charge after allegedly claiming he had a bomb in his backpack during class on Wednesday morning.
According to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 9 a.m. when campus police received a report from a student who overheard Nahrie T. Watts make the alarming statement inside a classroom occupied by 11 students. The student who heard the threat quickly exited and notified authorities, prompting an immediate evacuation of the building.
Campus Police secured the area and staged outside the classroom. As Watts exited, officers detained him and turned him over to responding sheriff’s deputies. No explosive devices or materials were found, but authorities conducted a full sweep of the building out of caution.
The Monroe County Bomb Squad and K-9 units trained in nitrate detection from multiple agencies—including Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, and Livingston County sheriff’s offices, as well as the New York State Police—assisted in searching the campus. The FBI was also on site to support the response.
The building was cleared and declared safe shortly after 1 p.m.
Following interviews with students and individuals connected to the suspect, investigators charged Watts with one count of Falsely Reporting an Incident in the First Degree, a Class D violent felony. He is being held at the Ontario County Jail awaiting arraignment in CAP Court.
Sheriff David Cirencione commended the swift action of campus police and credited the student who reported the threat with helping to prevent a potentially dangerous situation.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office at (585) 394-4560 or use the “Submit a Tip” feature in the department’s mobile app.
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