Bomb threats prompted the temporary closure and evacuation of Capitol buildings in several states across the U.S. on Wednesday.
Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Montana were among the at least 23 states that evacuated their statehouse offices or buildings in response to a mass threat email sent to several Secretaries of State and state offices nationwide.
CNN obtained an email in which the sender claimed to have planted explosives inside "your state Capitol" without specifying any particular state.
“While everyone is safe, KSP has asked everyone to evacuate the state Capitol and is investigating a threat received by the Secretary of State’s Office. We are aware of similar threats made to other offices across the country,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on X.
Although no states have reported discovering any threatening items in those buildings, public officials took to social media to voice their apprehension about the situation and to thank the quick response by law enforcement.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said, “Today a bomb threat was made against our Mississippi Capitol building. Thankfully, the situation is clear. I’m incredibly thankful to the Capitol Police and all the Mississippi law enforcement officers who immediately responded to the incident.”
Most states experienced brief closures, and the FBI confirmed that the threats are currently under investigation.
“The FBI takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk. While we have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately,” read a statement obtained by CNN.
