Bomb threat forces school’s evacuation on 1st day of classes

Thousands of students at San Clemente High School were evacuated on the first day of classes Wednesday as authorities searched for explosives they feared a sailor from nearby Camp Pendleton had planted on campus.

But the daylong, classroom-by-classroom search turned up nothing. The Navy corpsman surrendered later in the day.

Daniel Morgan, 22, became the subject of a manhunt after he failed to turn up for work Wednesday following a four-day leave for the holiday weekend, authorities said.

During a subsequent search of the barracks, authorities found a note indicating that a device had been placed at the school. High school officials were notified by 8:45 a.m.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department released Morgan’s photo and a description of the sport utility vehicle he was believed to be driving. He surrendered a short time later.

At least 3,200 students and 180 staff members were evacuated, first to the campus’ football stadium and then to the gym after it was cleared by bomb-sniffing dogs.

“Many times you get crank calls on the first day of school, but this is turned up a notch because this is somebody in the military who would have access to explosive devices,” said Orange County sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino.

As SWAT officers with automatic weapons directed people around yellow police tape outside the campus, students inside the gymnasium chatted on cellphones.

“It’s really hot in there, but they seem to be getting along fine,” said Heidi Hitt, who got updates from her daughter Brittany, a junior.

When officials finally gave students permission to use the restrooms, a cheer went up.

“We thought we were going to die from the heat, not a bomb,” said senior Tab Lawley.

andrew.blankstein@latimes.com

mike.anton@latimes.com

Times staff writer Tony Perry contributed to this report.