Courthouse evacuated, bomb scare was likely hoax

A Sheriff’s Office spokesman contacted the local St. Johns County news desk to report that the entire County Courthouse was evacuated this afternoon following a bomb threat received by the switchboard at about 12:30 p.m.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office told Historic City News that a yet unknown woman called to report that there was a bomb located in the courthouse and it was set to explode at 2:00 p.m.

There were more than a few tense moments as deputies searched many areas of the courthouse accompanied by bomb sniffing dogs, however, the search did not reveal anything suspicious.

Although nothing was found, officials decided to evacuate the building shortly before 2:00 p.m.

Before allowing anyone back in, the “all clear” was received by authorities on the scene at about 2:30; only then was the courthouse reopened.

Detectives are continuing the investigation into identifying and locating the female who called in the bomb threat — which was apparently a hoax.

Photo credit: © 2010 Historic City News staff photograph