The buildings of at least six state capitals in different US states were evacuated on Wednesday after several bomb threats were triggered by the receipt of threatening emails, authorities and local media said.
No explosives or potentially dangerous items were found at the scene as police evacuated state capitol buildings – official buildings that typically house the legislature and the governor's offices – in Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi and Montana Vertigo, local media reported.
“Although everyone is safe, the KSP (Kentucky State Police) has asked everyone to evacuate the state capitol and is investigating a threat received,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The threat in question: emails sent “en masse” to numerous high-ranking state officials across the country, local media reported.
“I have planted several explosive devices in your capital. The explosives are well hidden and will explode in a few hours. I will make sure you all die,” one of them read.
Officials in other states confirmed they were also targeted, such as in Michigan, where police decided the building would remain closed that day out of an abundance of caution.
The incident occurred three days before the anniversary of the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
More events will “wreak havoc in 2024,” a high-stakes election year, a senior Georgia state official, Gabriel Sterling, said on X (formerly Twitter).
“They want to increase tensions. “Don’t let it happen,” he said, but warned: “Don’t jump to conclusions about who is responsible.”
US authorities warn of a growing number of incidents against officials and political figures.