Several state capitol buildings across the country were evacuated Wednesday morning after a phony bomb threat was sent via email to the offices of election officials and other government employees.
Statehouses in Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, and Mississippi were all temporarily locked down after receiving the threat, but nothing dangerous was uncovered during the subsequent searches. It’s not yet clear where the messages originated.
Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer at the office of the Georgia secretary of State, wrote on X at 8:32 a.m., “Starting 2024 with a bomb threat at the Georgia State Capitol. Delayed opening until the all clear is given. Avoid the area for now.” He announced an all-clear in Atlanta about 20 minutes later.
Mississippi Today reports that Mississippi’s capitol building in Jackson was also evacuated due to a bomb threat, with police blocking off streets and entrances and sweeping the building with bomb-sniffing dogs. “It’s likely nothing, but we are going through our normal protocols,” Mississippi public-safety commissioner Sean Tindell told the outlet. The state later issued an all-clear.
A similar scene unfolded in the Midwest. The Detroit News reported that state senate employees were sent a text message ordering them to evacuate the Michigan state capitol building in Lansing due to “safety and security concerns.” Staff for both legislative chambers said they were told the evacuation was due to a bomb threat. According to Michigan State Police, the threat was sent via email this morning to the Michigan State Capitol Commission. The capitol will remain closed for the remainder of the day, per an announcement on the building’s social-media page.
WFSB, a CBS affiliate in Connecticut, reports that the state capitol building in Hartford was evacuated after several employees received an email alleging there were explosives in the building. The statehouse has since reopened following a search.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear confirmed the evacuation of the state’s capitol building on X, saying law enforcement is investigating a threat received by the secretary of State’s office. “We are aware of similar threats made to other offices across the country,” he said.
In a statement to ABC News, the FBI confirmed that it is aware of the threats, adding that the agency, “takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk.”
“While we have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention,” the statement read.
