An explosive-device call at a St. Petersburg home in July 2026 brought a Tampa Bomb Squad response.
St. Petersburg police confirmed the hospital was on lockdown and, as of 11:30 a.m., the facility remained sealed off while officers worked the scene, according to 10 Tampa Bay. Officers performed a security sweep of the hospital with K9 units on scene, and police said they planned to call in the Tampa bomb team if the dogs detected anything during the search.
Patients Diverted, Nearby Hospital Also Locked Down
Officials said Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital was diverting incoming patients to other facilities while the sweep continued, per the same report. Orlando Health Bayfront, located nearby, was also placed on lockdown because of its proximity to the children's hospital, though it continued accepting patients even as the precaution remained in effect.
Despite the lockdown and the heightened police presence, a spokesperson for All Children's said operations inside the hospital had not stopped. “Patient care continues and the safety of our patients and staff in our facility continues to be our top priority,” the spokesperson said.
A Recent Local Precedent for Bomb Squad Response
In July 2026, police requested help from the Tampa Bomb Squad after an explosive device was discovered inside a home garage, according to tampabay28.com. The bomb squad buried the device in a backyard and detonated it to render it safe, and nearby mobile homes on the dead-end street were temporarily evacuated during the operation.
The earlier case involved the regional bomb squad's response to a device call in the area.
