According to NBC News, law enforcement across the nation is responding to a wave of bomb threats, many of which have been sent via email.
Sergeant Jennifer Ciaccia of the Cleveland Police said in a statement that the department "has received numerous calls for service relative to bomb threats received via email. All have been checked by our officers and no credible threats were identified."
The following locations reported bomb threats at these approximate times, with each having been checked and marked as safe:
11:40 am: 11100 Euclid Avenue at UH bomb threat
1:20pm: 19114 Bella Dr. at Bella Academy
127 Public Square, Key, bomb threat
2pm 1001 Lakeside Spangengerg Law
2:15pm 601 Lakeside, City hall
250pm 127 Lakeside
2:55pm 2160 Superior
Ciaccia added that "although the calls have all checked clear, all threats should be reported to law enforcement immediately."
In a statement, the Cleveland division of the FBI said: "We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”
Meanwhile, Akron Police Lt. Rick Edwards informed WKYC that a threat was emailed to the city's 3-1-1 service center. A business in North Akron also had a threat emailed in. Edwards says both are part of the national threats that have happened on Thursday, but both have also checked out as safe.
Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand says the county auditor's office were among 8 of his reported places that received bomb threats. He says the others were local businesses and a nursing home.
"I don't know where they got the list to send out. but when you disrupt a nursing home and those people are trying to decide if they need to evacuate, that's a real problem," Hildenbrand says.
In an email sent to the county auditor’s office, similar to the one circulating around the country, it states that there's a “bomb in the building” with a “mercenary” watching it. The email goes on to say “if any unusual behavior, panic, or policeman is noticed the device will be blown up.”
Sheriff Hilldenbrand says a computer expert working with the county prosecutor's office traced the email to Russia."They mentioned the fact they want $20,000 dollars worth of bitcoin. Thats a clue its all the same."
Here is the text of the email that was shared with WKYC:
Good day. There is an explosive device (tronitrotoluene) in the building where your business is located. It was built according to my guide. It can be hidden anywhere because of its small size, it is not able to destroy the structure of the building, but in case of its explosion you will get many victims.
My mercenary is watching the situation around the building. If any unusual behavior, panic or policeman is noticed the device will be blown up.
I want to propose you a transaction. 20'000 usd is the cost for your life and business. Tansfer it to me in Bitcoin and I guarantee that I will withdraw my man and explosive won't detonate. But do not try to cheat- my guarantee will become actual only after 3 confirms in blockchain network.
It is my BTC address : 15qH84uLC49CmC6jRE958Qjcf9WRZ2rMuM
You have to solve problems with the payment by the end of the workday. If you are late with the payment explosive will detonate.
This is just a business, if I do not see the money and an explosive device explodes, other commercial enterprises will pay me more money, because this is not a one-time action.
To stay anonimous I wont log into this email. I check my wallet every forty minutes and after seeing the transaction I will order my person to leave your area.
If an explosive device explodes and the authorities see this email-
We arent the terrorist society and do not assume responsibility for explosions in other places.
Other threats have reportedly occurred in locations such as New York City, Oklahoma City, South Florida, Massachusetts, San Diego, Chicago, Connecticut and San Francisco.
Bronx Science High School in Bronx, N.Y. said that it evacuated its building following a threat made by phone at 11 a.m.
One reporting party said he was told to surrender $20,000 or a bomb would be detonated.