A slew of bomb threats swept across the United States on Wednesday, placing numerous state capitols including Illinois on high alert, as law enforcement agencies conducted extensive searches to ensure public safety.
The Illinois Secretary of State's Capitol Police received an emailed bomb threat, which is part of a broader wave of threats leveled against capitol buildings nationwide. The Secretary of State’s office confirmed that sweeps by a hazardous device unit were performed at the Illinois Capitol and surrounding buildings. No devices were discovered, and officials did not call for evacuations, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune.
In a statement obtained by WCIA, the Illinois Secretary of State's Office stated, "The Department’s Hazardous Device Unit conducted sweeps of the interior and exterior of the Capitol as well as the public areas of the adjacent Howlett, Stratton, and Archives buildings on the Capitol grounds as a precautionary measure; the investigation revealed no evidence supporting the credibility of a threat and no imminent danger was identified."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified of the spate of threats, and while they found no credible danger, they emphasized the gravity with which they treat such hoaxes, citing the potential risk posed to innocent lives. The FBI, along with other law enforcement partners will continue to act upon threat, according to a statement provided to The Hill.
Statehouses across the country, including Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Connecticut, and Michigan, saw a range of responses from evacuations to lockdowns, reflecting the widespread nature of the disturbance which came during a time when public officials in various states have also been targeted by “swatting” calls—false alarms designed to provoke large-scale police responses.
