A series of bomb threats sparked evacuations across courthouses in Maine and New Hampshire on Thursday, sending ripples of alarm through government buildings for the second consecutive day. The Mississippi Capitol and ancillary courthouses in states including Arkansas, Hawaii, Montana, and Maine underwent intensive searches, but no explosives were found, leading to buildings reopening to the public.
The sweeping evacuations followed threats made via email, such as the one received by judiciary officials in Maine. According to a statement obtained by NEWS CENTER Maine, the email contained a general statement about bombs placed in or around the Maine courthouses, although no specific location was mentioned. The York Judicial Center, among others, was evacuated and searched, with plans to reopen the following day.
"The FBI takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk," said Kristen Setera, the FBI Boston Division spokesperson, in a statement to NBC Boston. These incidents, involving hoax bomb threats, come on the heels of a string of false shooting reports at the residences of various public officials. Despite the resulting chaos, no credible threats were ascertained by law enforcement.
In Portland, the Cumberland County Courthouse was among the facilities targeted, with evacuation commencing around 10:15 a.m. Brad Nadeau, a spokesperson for the Portland police, indicated in a release that the emailed threat was directed at judicial marshals in charge of courthouse security. Buildings were later deemed safe, and the courthouse reopened before noon. During the disruption, courthouse employees and visitors sheltered at the nearby Portland Police Department parking garage.
Responses to the threats included various precautionary evacuations as reported by Maine court system spokesperson Barbara Cardone. "All other courthouses were checked for security risks or anything that seemed unusual," Cardone told NEWS CENTER Maine, confirming the absence of any explosives. Maine officials have strong reasons to believe these threats were a hoax.
The threat wave extended to New Hampshire, where the Department of Public Safety acknowledged similar hoax bomb threats made against their courthouses. The department assured in a release that there was no information indicating these were credible threats. The FBI continues to urge the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement without delay.
