Government buildings across Tennessee, including Memphis, evacuated after bomb threats

About 8:30 Tuesday morning, a woman called the Memphis Police Department's communications bureau, warning that bombs were about to go off in three government buildings in Downtown Memphis.

All across Tennessee Tuesday morning, similar phone calls rang out, all warning that bombs were about to go off in government buildings.

Those calls set off a scramble to evacuate 30 courthouses and buildings in 30 counties across the state while officials searched for explosives. No bombs were found in any of the buildings, and no one was injured.

In Memphis, officers evacuated the Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building at 167 N. Main and the U.S. Post Office at 555 S. Third. Although the woman also named the Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar, that building — which houses the jail — was not evacuated.

Police temporarily blocked a trolley line Downtown, then brought in a dog to search the federal building before letting people return. Search dogs were also seen at City Hall.

"The (federal building) was cleared by a Memphis Police Department bomb-sniffing dog," said Seth Bruce with the U.S. Marshal's Service in Memphis. "Things were back to normal in the building before noon."

The FBI is working closely with state authorities and will pursue federal charges if necessary, said Joel Siscovic, spokesman for the Memphis office.

Tennessee became the fourth state to deal with similar bomb hoaxes, following incidents in Oregon, Nebraska and Washington earlier this month.

Several court hearings, including the sex trafficking trial of Terrence "T-Rex" Yarbrough, were delayed Tuesday when jurors, judges, prosecutors, clerks and other federal employees were evacuated. The Yarbrough trial is expected to resume Wednesday.

According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, nine counties in West Tennessee, six in Middle Tennessee and 14 in East Tennessee were all targeted. Memphis and Chattanooga were the only large cities targeted, with many of the threats aimed toward smaller counties. In those smaller areas, many of the threats were made to county clerks.

No one was in custody late Tuesday over the threats, officials said.

According to federal statutes, calling in a threat to injure, intimidate or kill someone or damage or destroy a building, car or other property with a fire or explosive can bring a prison sentence of up to 10 years.


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Comments » 12

BartlettVolunteer writes:

So what about 201?

38104 writes:

I think it's Clifford Davis

ArlingtonGuy writes:

in response to BartlettVolunteer:

So what about 201?

I also heard that 201 Poplar was included.

Jake (Inactive) writes:

They should not evacuate just because a caller says so. That encourages them to do it.
Those building already have a high level of security and a bomb getting in is unlikely.
If the caller can't say HOW the bomb got it they should hang up on her.

Jake (Inactive) writes:

She had a reason at ONE building. The rest are just to cover her tracks so they can't figure out it was her.

DocRambo writes:

Bush's fault.

datGuy writes:

some ones going to be in trouble!....


BartlettVolunteer writes:

Earlier, this article said threats were called in to three buildings but only two were evacuated, 201 was only searched.

I know you can't evacuate the jail, but the other 8+ floors were not evauated. Just wondering why not?

Jake (Inactive) writes:

in response to BartlettVolunteer:



Could be because normally people who really want to blow up building don't tell anyone(except in movies).
People like this have the goal of stopping something like say a court trial. She got what she wanted and will probably do it next time also if they don't catch her.

Mamba writes:

in response to DocRambo:

Bush's fault.

Highly possible!!!!


1American writes:

There are lots of people that would love to plant a bomb in the heart of America. MANY people are disgusted with the United States. There are foreigners and illegals that hate the United States and are seeing a weakened government racked with division, debt and crime. They see an opportunity to advance their agenda. Create havoc. True Americans on the other hand, those that make up the heart and soul of this country, the hard workers, the wage earners, the "makers" are seeing an oppressive government that is destroying the very foundation of America. They are disgusted with the socialist government that's destroying this country. The only people that you can rule out are fastest growing segment of our society... the irresponsible "takers". Those that live off the government teat. Those that rely on the government for their EBT cards, the free lunches and the free cell phones.... all they want is a free ride. They would never bomb a government building. There next handout just might be in that building!!

ereader writes:

10 years is not enough.


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