A bogus bomb threat shut down the Cleveland County Courthouse in Shelby yesterday, sending staff and visitors out of the building while deputies swept every floor. After a full search, investigators determined the report was false and allowed everyone to return once the courthouse was cleared. The scare halted court business for several hours and drew a heavy law enforcement presence to Courthouse Square.
According to WSOC-TV, deputies ordered the evacuation as a precaution and spent the afternoon checking courtrooms and public spaces before reopening the building. WSOC-TV reported the alert was ultimately determined to be false and that normal operations resumed once the all-clear was given.
How authorities responded
Court security for Cleveland County is handled by the sheriff’s office, which notes on its website that court-security deputies operate X-ray machines and metal detectors at the courthouse entrance as part of routine protections, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office. Those security measures are among the standard steps used when a threat is reported and help deputies secure and clear public areas before business resumes.
Threats have disrupted courts statewide
Bomb threats and hoaxes have forced evacuations and schedule changes at courthouses across North Carolina in recent weeks, showing how quickly a single tip can upend court calendars. WRAL documented a recent closure in Raleigh, and other local outlets have reported similar precautionary sweeps elsewhere in the state.
Legal consequences
State law treats false reports about destructive devices seriously: making a false report concerning a destructive device in a public building is addressed under North Carolina statutes that can carry felony penalties and allow courts to order restitution for disruption and costs. Those provisions are set out in North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 14.
At the time WSOC-TV published its story, county officials had not announced any arrests or identified a suspect. Investigators typically review security footage, phone records and other leads after these incidents, and WSOC-TV provided initial coverage of the evacuation and subsequent all-clear.
