Page, Arizona — A late-night phone threat targeting a northern Arizona medical facility sent staff into lockdown Friday, after a caller allegedly vowed to kill employees and Native Americans before hanging up. Police later tracked down a suspect outside their home and booked them on multiple charges, including making terroristic threats.
Police: Facility Locked Down After Threat
Officers were dispatched just after 10:30 p.m. when staff reported the call, and the building remained locked while police searched for the suspect, according to 12News. Police eventually identified and arrested the person outside their residence.
In a Facebook post quoted in coverage by AZFamily, the Page Police Department said it was “grateful for and supports” the medical staff's decision to lock down the facility until officers declared the scene safe. Police have not publicly identified the person who was arrested.
Charges And Legal Context
The suspect was booked on charges that include disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats, according to law enforcement records. Arizona authorities do not treat these cases as harmless pranks. A Phoenix Police Department media advisory notes that state law permits criminal prosecution for threats and can leave defendants on the hook for costs tied to emergency responses. The advisory also warns that reposting threat-related material can interfere with ongoing criminal investigations.
Threats To Medical Staff Fit A Larger Pattern
Harassment and threats against health care workers have been climbing for years. Reported harassment at work more than doubled between 2018 and 2022, according to federal health and safety officials cited by NIOSH/CDC. Arizona has seen its own stark examples of how volatile health care settings can become. In one separate incident, an emergency room security guard in the Phoenix area was shot and wounded, according to reporting from AP News. Hospitals and clinics nationwide are pushing for stronger prevention, better safety protocols, and more consistent reporting when employees are threatened.
What Comes Next
Page police say the investigation is still active and detectives are following up on leads, and officers have not released the suspect's name, AZFamily reported. Anyone with information is asked to call the Page Police Department non-emergency line at (928) 645-2461 or check the department's website for updates.
