Washington, D.C
Washington D.C. schools on lockdown after 200 bomb threat emails spark chaos
Chaos and panic gripped Washington D.C. today as the city grappled with the aftermath of receiving hundreds of bomb threats via email. Hundreds of emails were sent to prominent schools and prompted widespread lockdowns. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) quickly responded, launching an investigation into the threats that were emailed to numerous schools just before 11 a.m.
In a statement posted on social media, the MPD assured the public that officers were coordinating with D.C. Public and Charter schools to ensure the safety of students and staff. Despite having no evidence to corroborate the threats, law enforcement is actively investigating the origins of nearly 200 threatening emails.
DC resident and Managing Editor of R Statecraft, Benjamin Armbruster revealed that his child’s elementary school, a public charter in the district, was part of an email chain sent to a total of 191 people. The threats have created disarray across the city, with residents reporting a state of chaos.
“I just got a call from my kid’s elementary school (a DC public charter) that it “was included on an email chain with a bomb threat. This threat was sent to 191 recipients in DC and has created chaos across the city,” he posted on X.
191 officials were included in a massive email chain with a bomb threat at the bottom, according to The Mirror
Councilmember Zachary Parker confirmed that his office has received concerns “from neighbors regarding a bomb threat sent via email to DC schools across the city today stating that a bomb would go off within a certain time frame. Schools were evacuated and MPD units across the city conducted sweeps and walkthroughs.”
‘No credible threat to DC schools’, Zachary Parker confirms
He further added, “There is no credible threat to DC schools at this time. My team has been in touch with MPD, which has cleared all Ward 5 schools that received threats and deemed them to be safe.”
The College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts also faced evacuation due to a bomb threat, with officials emphasizing that the threat risk was assessed to be low. The Worcester and State Police, along with the Fire Department, were on-site conducting searches and evacuations.
This incident comes just a week after bomb threat emails were sent to government officials in 13 states, causing disruptions and evacuations in some state capitals. However, subsequent investigations by the FBI revealed the threats to be hoaxes, with no explosives found in government buildings.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. As the investigation into the Washington D.C. bomb threats continues, the city remains on high alert, emphasizing the need for heightened security measures to ensure the safety of residents and students.