Multiple State Capitols Evacuated Amid Threats

Clear Facts

• State capitols in Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Connecticut, Michigan, and Montana were evacuated or went into lockdown due to bomb threats.
• The threats were received via mass email by secretaries of state across the U.S. on Wednesday morning, but no explosives were found at any location.
• The false alarms follow a series of “swatting” attempts against elected public officials, a tactic involving false emergency calls to provoke a law enforcement response.

This week state capitols across the country were evacuated due to a series of threats. The state capitols of Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Connecticut, Michigan, and Montana were affected, with officials either evacuated or put into lockdown following bomb threats, as reported by The Hill. Despite the threats, authorities did not find any explosives or other incendiary devices at any of the locations.

Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling took to Twitter to comment on the situation.

“There have been multiple bomb threats to state capitols around the nation,” he tweeted. “Do not jump to conclusions as to who is responsible. There will be chaos agents sowing discord for 2024. They want to increase tensions. Don’t let them.”

While everyone is safe, KSP has asked everyone to evacuate the state Capitol and is investigating a threat received by the Secretary of State’s Office. We are aware of similar threats made to other offices across the country. 1/2

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) January 3, 2024

The threats were initially received by secretaries of state across the U.S. via a mass email sent on Wednesday morning. The sender of the emails and the connection between the threats remain unclear.

In Kentucky, the state capitol was evacuated after receiving the threat just as lawmakers were convening in the complex’s annex for a training seminar, according to The Associated Press. Similarly, the Mississippi state capitol went into lockdown after receiving threats until it was deemed safe to resume normal operations.

The state capitols of Georgia, Connecticut, and Montana were evacuated and reopened shortly after authorities investigated and gave the all-clear signal. Michigan’s state capitol was also evacuated and deemed safe after investigation, but the building will remain closed for the remainder of the day, as reported by NBC News.

In all cases, authorities did not find explosives and concluded there was no present threat, according to the AP. These false alarms follow a series of “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 involves calling the authorities and falsely suggesting an emergency or crime is taking place in order to provoke an emergency response, which can sometimes lead to SWAT teams or other law enforcement showing up at an unsuspecting person’s home.

Clear Thoughts (op-ed)

The recent bomb threats that led to the evacuation and lockdown of state capitols across the nation are a disturbing sign of the times. The fact that these threats were false alarms does not diminish the fear they instilled in our elected officials and the public.

The use of “swatting” as a tactic to provoke law enforcement responses is a dangerous game that has serious consequences. It’s not just about the disruption of public order and safety – it’s about the erosion of trust in our institutions and the people who serve them.

We need to ensure that those responsible for these threats are held accountable. It’s not enough to dismiss these incidents as pranks or political theater. They are serious crimes that undermine the stability of our democracy.

Let’s not allow these chaos agents to succeed in their goal of sowing discord and tension. Instead, let’s reaffirm our commitment to the democratic values and principles that unite us as a nation.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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