Bomb threat reported at courthouse — Buildings cleared, no bombs found

Published 3:56 pm Thursday, March 30, 2017

 

A bomb threat reported Thursday morning at the Charlotte County Courthouse went unfounded following an investigation by police in Charlotte and Lynchburg.

According to police, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office received the call of a bomb threat specific to the Charlotte County General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts.

The Lynchburg Police Department is investigating the threat, which was called in to Lynchburg 911 operators, eventually being transferred to Charlotte County.

The unknown suspect, according to Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Don Sloan, called the Lynchburg operators at 9:07 a.m., threatening to bomb the Lynchburg and Charlotte County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and General District Courts.

Police in Charlotte County said the call was received by Charlotte around 9:20 a.m.

“Charlotte County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and General District Court were notified, as well as the surrounding offices,” police said in a release. “General District Court was cancelled and the Charlotte County (Juvenile and Domestic Relations) clerk, general district clerk’s offices and Social Services were also closed.”

Virginia State Police investigators were notified, and the buildings were evacuated and bomb dogs were called in to search the premises. No bombs were found and the Charlotte’s courts are expected to reopen tomorrow, according to police.

No injuries were reported.

The threat was determined to have come in from an elevator phone inside Lynchburg City Hall, police said.

There are no suspects at this time and the police are unsure if the suspect is male or female as they used a voice-altering device to make the call.