In a series of alarming events, state capitols across the United States were subjected to evacuation or lockdown procedures on Wednesday due to a wave of bomb threats.
The state capitols of Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Connecticut, Michigan, and Montana were among those affected, as reported by The Hill. Despite the severity of the threats, no explosives or other harmful devices were discovered at any of the targeted locations.
Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling took to Twitter to caution against premature assumptions about the perpetrators. "There have been multiple bomb threats to state capitols around the nation," Sterling wrote. "Do not jump to conclusions as to who is responsible. There will be chaos agents sowing discord for 2024. They want to increase tensions. Dont let them.
The threats were initially received via a mass email sent to secretaries of state across the country on Wednesday morning. The sender of the emails remains unidentified, and the connection between the threats is unclear.
The Kentucky state capitol was evacuated in the midst of a training seminar for lawmakers, as reported by The Associated Press. The Mississippi state capitol was put on lockdown until it was deemed safe to resume normal operations.
The state capitols of Georgia, Connecticut, and Montana were evacuated and subsequently reopened after authorities conducted investigations and gave the all-clear signal. Michigan's state capitol was also evacuated and declared safe following an investigation. However, the building will remain closed for the rest of the day, as reported by NBC News.
In all instances, authorities found no explosives and determined there was no immediate threat, according to The Associated Press.
These false alarms come in the wake of several "swatting" attempts against elected public officials, including Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican New York Rep. Brandon Williams, and Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
"Swatting" is a malicious act where a false emergency or crime is reported to authorities, often resulting in SWAT teams or other law enforcement responding to an unsuspecting individual's home.
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