Government buildings in the south were heavily guarded and evacuated for the second day on Thursday due to a number of threats that are primarily made through emails.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said on X that there had been ongoing bomb threats being called in across the state, compelling authorities to implement emergency protocols and preventive measures. The post said they are collaborating with other agencies, including, but not limited to, bomb squads. The bomb threats were received on January 3 and 4, and they are working in tandem with federal, state, and local authorities.
In Little Rock, Arkansas, the Pulaski County District Court, Pulaski County Juvenile Court, and Pulaski County Courthouse were all evacuated after a bomb threat.
According to a press statement from the County, all buildings were approved to be reopened as of noon local time. The buildings were checked by law enforcement, and they found no danger.
According to reports, the 5th District Court of Appeal was evacuated in Daytona Beach, Florida, following a bomb threat, and police later secured the situation. Police in the area alerted their federal and state counterparts after receiving an email threatening violence, according to local media.
On Wednesday, at least six state capitols throughout the nation got bomb threats; on Thursday, more threats surfaced. Some were in the north and northwest. There were reports of lockdowns and evacuations at the state capitols in Michigan, Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Montana in response to what seemed like bomb threats. The possibility of a connection between the episodes is unclear.
Investigations revealed that most threats sent to staff via email on Wednesday were hoaxes. While the FBI is currently unaware of any actual bombs, it has pledged to keep cooperating with its federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts to address any further threats.
