Bomb threat causes disruptions at several state capitol buildings, including Minnesota
The Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A bomb threat temporarily disrupted operations at the Minnesota State Capitol and other state buildings in the United States on Wednesday.
Minnesota State Patrol spokesperson Lt. Jill Frankfurth said the State Patrol security team was made aware of an email around 9 a.m. containing a bomb threat that was sent to several state capitol buildings.
The threats led to disruptions and evacuations in several states, including Hawaii, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and Montana. Meanwhile, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, and Maryland received similar threats but did not close their buildings, according to The Associated Press.
After word of the threat, law enforcement locked the Minnesota State Capitol doors and conducted searches and sweeps of the building using an explosive-detecting K9. People were allowed to move around inside, but some activities were disrupted and moved elsewhere, including the Minnesota Supreme Court, which was hearing oral arguments. The justices paused the session and moved to the Judicial Center across the street to continue the hearing.
Authorities did not find any suspicious or threatening items during the searches, and the building was reopened. The State Patrol said there would be an increased security presence at the State Capitol for the rest of Wednesday.
The State Patrol did not say who in the building received the email or what the message said.