Bomb Threat at Tallahassee National Guard Armory

Photo credit: WCTV
 

 

A bomb threat was issued at the National Guard Armory in Tallahassee, Fla. on Capital Circle NE around 10:15 this morning.

Investigators forced an evacuation that cleared approximately 30 people out of the building for a thorough search, but found nothing.

According to the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD), they received a call from an individual saying they were drawn closer by a man in the parking area of the Dollar General at Park Avenue and Capital Circle. The male advised the native to call the police on the grounds that there was a bomb in the National Guard Armory.

The facility was cleared and a few agencies came into help. Federal Department of Law Enforcement's (FDLE) bomb sniffing dogs alongside the Big Bend Regional Bomb Squad were called to the scene to search the territory for anything suspicious.

The threat put nearby businesses and school under tight security and demanded them to stay inside. Three surrounding schools that were affected are Lincoln High School, Adult Community Education and Apalachee Elementary School as indicated by Leon County Schools.

Tallahassee Police Spokesman David Northway said that the man they are looking for had on camouflage, and possibly armed with a gun.

“He asked him if he had a phone. He said 'yes’,” said Northway. “He said 'you better call the police and tell them there is a bomb inside of the National Armory.'"

Florida National Guard authorities are as yet attempting to focus to what degree the official request to arm Guardsmen will be done. Florida National Guard spokesman Lt. Justin Phillips stated that it is unknown if the guy is armed.

“The intent with that executive order is to ensure that each National Guard member has the ability to protect themselves while working for the Army National Guard,” he said. “Our leadership is assessing threat levels.”

Laura Block, a parent of a child that attends the nearby daycare stopped what she was doing in the grocery store to go get her child as soon as she heard what was going on.

"This is Tallahassee. It's really disheartening and it's really, really difficult when your child's not with you and this is going on right across the street from where they are," said Block. “She said she was relieved to find the camp directors had locked all the doors and were keeping the children inside when she arrived.”