8 bomb threats in Wichita among many across KS, U.S.

(WDBJ)
Published: Dec. 13, 2018 at 2:03 PM CST
Email This Link
Share on Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018

The Wichita Police Department Thursday night says it is investigating eight emailed bomb threats made to different businesses throughout the city.

The WPD say the threats are unfounded, but it will continue to investigate these threats, working with local federal authorities.

-----

6:50 p.m.

The "all clear" has been given at the Hillsboro Community Hospital after two employees received bomb threats by email Thursday afternoon.

The hospital and police both believe the emails were a hoax connected to with other threats nationwide. They say, out of precaution to keep staff and patients safe, they still evacuated the building.

The hospital moved three admitted patients, 20 outpatients and 50 staff members out of the hospital. The Kansas Highway Patrol bomb squad then arrived to investigate.

"We discussed is this a hoax? It looks like it might be, but first and foremost, you have to think of the safety of everyone around you. So, we just decided you know what, it may be or it may not be, but we're going to treat it like it's a real threat and work it to the end so we can get everybody safe," said Chief Nursing Officer Jessica Workman.

Workman says the hospital doesn't have a specific bomb procedure at this time, but they used their procedures for an active shooter, a tornado and a fire to make sure everyone made it out of the building safely.

-----

4:05 p.m.

Authorities evacuated the Hillsboro Community Hospital in Marion County after someone sent an email bomb threat to the hospital.

Police say they got the call around 2 p.m. and the hospital was evacuated by 3 p.m.

A bomb tech with the Kansas Highway Patrol is on his way from Hays to search the hospital for anything suspicious.

No one will be allowed back in until the building is cleared. Police don't know when that will be.

-----

4:05 p.m.

Wichita police say recent bomb threats that were made in the past hour are unfounded.

Sedgwick County Dispatchers reported the threats were called in to at least six locations in Wichita.

Regarding the recent bomb threats that were made in the past hour, WPD has determined the threats to be unfounded.

Posted by Wichita Police Department on Thursday, December 13, 2018

-----

2:03 p.m.

Authorities say bomb threats sent to dozens of schools, universities and other locations across the U.S. appear to be a hoax.

Sedgwick County dispatchers said six threats were called in across the city of Wichita: Greenwich & 26th St., West & 31st St. S., Custer & Maxwell, Harry & Grove, Webb & Greenbriar, and Douglas & New York.

The Great Bend Tribune said Sunflower Diversified Services in Great Bend evacuated three of its facilities after receiving the threats.

The New York City Police Department said the threats sent Thursday were meant to cause disruption and compel recipients into sending money and are not considered credible.

Some of the emails had the subject line: "Think Twice."

The Palm Beach County, Florida sheriff's office and the Boise, Idaho police said they had no reason to believe that threats made to locations in those areas were credible.

Across the country, some schools were closed early and others were evacuated because of the threats. Penn State University notified students via a campus alert. Near Atlanta, people were ushered out of a courthouse.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)