At least nine state capitals were closed after a fake bomb threat was sent via mass email to dozens of people across the country.
The statehouses of Hawaii, Minnesota, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Maine and Montana were closed while police searched for bombs.
The shutdowns lasted up to hours after an email to numerous Capitol staffers claimed that several explosive devices would “go off in a few hours.”
“I will make sure you all end up dead,” the email warned.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said state police asked everyone to evacuate the capitol while they investigated a threat received by the secretary of state's office.
“We are aware of similar threats against other offices across the country,” he said at 10:26 a.m. Wednesday.
Police vehicles are deployed to the Mississippi State Capitol after a bomb threat was received in Jackson
The shutdowns lasted up to hours after an email (screenshot pictured) to numerous Capitol employees claimed that several explosive devices would “go off in a few hours.”
When the alarm sounded, Kentucky lawmakers were meeting in the Capitol Annex for ethics training. The State House in Frankfurt reopened around 12 p.m.
Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, said his state house was also closed.
“From 2024 there will be a bomb threat to the Georgia State Capitol.” Delayed opening until the all-clear is given. “Avoid the area for now,” he said.
The Georgia State Patrol said the closure only lasted less than an hour.
“A false report was sent to an employee this morning about a bomb threat at the Capitol. A search was carried out and the all-clear was given. “The Capitol has reopened,” it said.
The Mississippi Capitol in Jackson was also briefly closed after a warning about “suspicious activity” that soon turned into a bomb threat.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said the building was thoroughly searched and “no explosives or suspicious devices were found.”
Police cordoned off several streets around the building and bomb-sniffing dogs sniffed around until the building reopened around 11 a.m.
Police cordoned off several streets around the Mississippi Capitol and bomb-sniffing dogs sniffed around until it reopened around 11 a.m
The Montana Capitol was closed around 8:30 a.m. local time after the hoax email was received and reopened at 9:57 a.m.
“An investigation was conducted and the threat was found to be unreliable.” “The building has been reopened to the public,” said Megan Grotzke of the Montana Department of Administration.
With snow on the ground on a cold winter day, lawmakers and staff evacuated from the capital warm themselves in nearby buildings.
The State House in Connecticut was closed early this morning after several staff members raised the alarm when they opened the threatening email.
“The email, which appeared to have been sent to numerous states, claimed to have planted multiple explosives in the Capitol building,” police said.
State Capitol police officers used bomb-sniffing dogs to search the building and reopened it after finding no explosives.
The Montana Capitol was closed around 8:30 a.m. local time after the hoax email was received and reopened at 9:57 a.m
Montana High Patrol Trooper Brandon Uhl walks around the state Capitol Wednesday morning following a bomb threat
Michigan was another state targeted and its capital, Lansing, was closed and, unlike others, will remain closed all day.
“The Capitol has been evacuated, the building has been searched, and Michigan State Police are currently having MSP dog teams sweeping the building,” police said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Capitol will remain closed for the remainder of the day.”
Minnesota State Patrol Capitol security was notified of the email around 9 a.m. and soon locked down the building while it was searched from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Police said “no suspicious or threatening items were found” but additional officers would remain in the area for the rest of the day.
Hawaii became the eighth state to close its capital after the email was seen around 6:20 a.m.
Hawaii became the eighth state to close its capital after the email was seen around 6:20 a.m
The building is still cordoned off as police search it with bomb-sniffing dogs and investigate the threat.
Maine was the last of the nine buildings to be evacuated, as the decision to close the building was not made until Wednesday afternoon.
The police are still searching the building.
Many other states, at least 23 in total, received the hoax email but chose to ignore it.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol said the email did not pose a security threat and that no action was taken.
The nationwide bomb threat followed fake reports of shootings at the homes of several politicians in recent days.