A wave of bomb threats were reported against businesses, schools hospitals in cities across the country on Thursday, causing nationwide panic.<\/b>
\nA wave of bomb threats were reported against businesses, schools hospitals and other locations in cities across the country on Thursday \u2014 causing nationwide panic and evacuations, although they all appeared to be hoaxes.
Police in cities nationwide reported the bomb threats, some emailed, some phoned in.
A spokesman for the Oklahoma City Police Department said there were between 10 and 13 specific email bomb threats with specific addresses in and around Oklahoma City. The spokesperson said police were investigating all of the threats but they had not found anything serious so far.
Authorities in New York City were monitoring \u00ab\u00a0multiple bomb threats that have been sent electronically to various locations throughout the city,\u00a0\u00bb the New York Police Department’s counter-terrorism bureau said on Twitter.
\u00ab\u00a0These threats are also being reported to other locations nationwide & are NOT considered credible at this time,\u00a0\u00bb police said in the tweet.
New York police later said on Twitter that there was an \u00ab\u00a0email being circulated containing a bomb threat asking for bitcoin payment\u00a0\u00bb and that no devices had been found at the numerous locations targeted.
Police added it appeared the threats were \u00ab\u00a0meant to cause disruption and\/or obtain money.\u00a0\u00bb
In Massachusetts, state police said on Twitter that they were also tracking \u00ab\u00a0multiple bomb threats emailed to numerous businesses in the state.\u00a0\u00bb Massachusetts State Police’s bomb squad was notified and local departments were responding, state police said.
\u00ab\u00a0Similar threats have been received in other states,\u00a0\u00bb state police said in the tweet.
State police said in a later tweet that there authorities were conducting risk assessments and there were no indications \u00ab\u00a0of any explosives located or detonated to this point.\u00a0\u00bb
Separately, Boston police said in a statement they had confirmed an emailed bomb threat to the Boston Opera House.
In Florida, the Orlando Police Department said in a statement it was aware of emailed threats to local business and across the country. A spokesperson for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office also said it had received threats to several businesses throughout the county.
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\u00ab\u00a0We are assisting federal law enforcement in its investigation,\u00a0\u00bb police said.
Meanwhile, in Colorado, a false bomb threat was made against Columbine High School, causing the school and 22 others nearby to be placed on lockdown, according NBC affiliate KUSA. On Thursday morning, a caller claimed to have \u00ab\u00a0multiple explosive devices\u00a0\u00bb inside the school, Mike Taplin with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said according to NBC affiliate. WSAV.
And employees at a Jewish Community Center and multiple branches of the Fire Credit Union in San Francisco were evacuated after reports of emailed bomb threats, NBC Bay Area reported.
At least two dozen threats were being tracked in Los Angeles, law enforcement sources told NBCLA. Also in Southern California, police received a report of a possible bomb threat that was emailed to a Redondo Beach business in the 3700 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard. The building was evacuated, according to police.
The FBI in a statement said they were \u00ab\u00a0aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n