Please Follow us on Gab, Minds, Telegram, Rumble, GETTR, Truth Social, Twitter
Multiple State Capitol buildings across the U.S. were shut down and evacuated Wednesday because of bomb threats.
“It was a mass email sent to several (Secretaries of State) and state offices across the country,” said Michon Lindstrom, a spokesperson for the Kentucky of Secretary of State’s office.
At least 23 states were recipients of the mass email, which claimed that explosives inside “your state Capitol,” although no specific state was mentioned in the email.
The threat affected Capitol proceedings from Kentucky to Mississippi, Georgia, Connecticut, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, and beyond.
No states have reported finding any threatening items in their buildings.
“While everyone is safe, (Kentucky State Police) has asked everyone to evacuate the state Capitol and is investigating a threat received by the Secretary of State’s Office,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote on X.
“The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has successfully cleared the Mississippi State Capitol,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “The building was thoroughly searched, and no explosives or suspicious equipment were found,” their spokesperson, Bailey Martin, said in a statement. "There is no further threat to the Capitol or surrounding buildings," Martin added.
Mississippi State Sen. Brice Wiggins wrote on X, “Sick individuals, who need to be prosecuted, will not stop us from doing our jobs.”
“Starting 2024 with a bomb threat at the Georgia State Capitol,” Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State, posted on social media.
About 20 minutes later, he tweeted that the complex had reopened after law enforcement officials investigated.
A spokesperson for the Michigan State Police also confirmed that there had been a bomb threat to the state Capitol on Wednesday morning.
"In response to a threat made involving the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing, we can confirm a threat was emailed to a general account for the Michigan State Capitol Commission around 7:45 a.m. today, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024," Michigan State Police spokesperson Lori Dougovito said.
"We are aware of similar threats sent to government agencies across the country," Dougovito said, adding that the Capitol was evacuated and that the building was searched.
The situation remains under investigation and the building "will remain closed for the rest of the day," Dougovito added.
In Montana, Jay Nelson, a spokesman for the state Highway Patrol, confirmed that officials received a bomb threat targeting the State Capitol at 8:30 a.m. local time Wednesday.
After receiving the threat, police evacuated the building and searched with explosives K9 Bocci, Scott Driscoll, of the Connecticut State Capitol Police, said in an email to staff and legislators.
“Earlier this morning, the Connecticut State Capitol Police received complaints from numerous employees about a suspicious email that was received. The email, which apparently was sent to numerous states, claimed to have placed multiple explosives in the Capitol Building,” Driscoll said.
Nothing suspicious was found in the building or on the grounds and the Connecticut Capitol was reopened.
State and Maryland Capitol Police responded Wednesday morning to a bomb threat made against the historic State House in Annapolis.
A spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore (D) confirmed the receipt of a bomb threat Wednesday.
“DGS Police and Maryland State Police followed standard protocols to ensure the State House and surrounding facilities were checked and cleared prior to staff arriving,” the spokesperson said.Other states, including Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Missouri, received threats, but did not close.
The FBI issued a statement saying they were aware of the incidents.
“The FBI is aware of the numerous hoax incidents wherein a bomb threat at a state Capitol is made,” the bureau said. “The FBI 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. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately.”
Subscribe to our evening newsletter to stay informed during these challenging times!!