A bomb threat emailed to officials in several states early Wednesday briefly disrupted government operations and prompted several evacuations of state capitals, but no explosives were found and federal officials quickly dismissed the threat as a hoax.
The threat follows false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials in recent days.
Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi and Montana are among the states that are moving offices or state house buildings.
The FBI said it was aware of numerous fake bomb threats at the state Capitol building, but “no information to indicate a specific and credible threat.” The bureau said it works with state, local and federal law enforcement to collect, share and act on information.
“The FBI takes the threat of fraud seriously because it puts innocent people at risk,” he said in a statement.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on X that the Capitol had been evacuated while state police investigated threats received by the Secretary of State’s Office. Lawmakers were elsewhere for ethics training, but a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Michon Lindstrom said some candidate filings were disrupted.
“Mass email” warns of various explosives that will detonate within hours.
The shutdown was brief in most states. AP
Public safety officials locked down the Mississippi Capitol on the second day of the legislative session and the state Senate adjourned its morning meeting. The building was evacuated and bomb-sniffing dogs surrounded before the all-clear was given.
“This is an ongoing investigation and there is no longer a threat to the Capitol or surrounding buildings,” said Bailey Martin, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
The shutdown was brief and disruption was minimal in most states.
The Montana Capitol building was reopened within two hours after a sweep of the building was completed and the threat was found not to be credible, said Megan Grotzke, a spokeswoman for the Department of Administration.
In Minnesota, oral arguments in the state Supreme Court inside the Capitol were interrupted, but moved to another courtroom at the Minnesota Judicial Center, said Kyle Christopherson, spokesman for the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
“This is an ongoing investigation and there is no longer a threat to the Capitol or surrounding buildings,” said Bailey Martin, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. AP
Other states — including Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and Maryland — received threats, but did not close.
Several public officials have been hit by “swatting” calls in recent days. Swatting is a prank call made to emergency services intended to bring about a police response.
Republican US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was the target of a fake emergency call on Christmas morning. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was hit with a “hit” attempt a day after she removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s rebellion clause, a decision Trump is appealing.
Other public officials targeted in recent days include Republican US Representative Brandon Williams of New York, US Senator Rick Scott of Florida, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Hundreds of cases of swatting occur every year.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
