Man arrested after threatening to blow up Spokane County Democrats office: Police
vmargineanu/iStockBy WILLIAM MANSELL, ABC News
(SPOKANE, Wash.) — Police arrested a man in Spokane, Washington, Wednesday morning after he allegedly entered the county Democrats’ headquarters and threatened to blow it up.
Authorities said the man entered the Teamsters building, located at Indiana and Division street, wearing a backpack with wires sticking out, saying he had a bomb.
As a volunteer called 911 and those in the building evacuated, the suspect allegedly entered an office with an employee working and said he was going to blow it up, officials said.
Police said they then surrounded the building and apprehended the suspect without incident as he exited the headquarters. The suspect was not wearing his backpack at that time, according to the Spokane Police Department.
As officers entered the building, they noticed smoke coming out of an office. After making sure the building was evacuated, police called in the bomb squad, which determined the backpack was not explosive.
Police said the man did start a fire inside the building, but no one was injured in the incident.
“We are so relieved that no one was harmed in this reprehensible act of violence. Our primary concern is for the safety of our volunteers and the broader community of Spokane,” Washington State Democrats said in a statement Wednesday. “We urge every elected official and community leader to join us in condemning this apparently politically motivated act of violence. No one should have to fear for their life simply because they participate in our political process.”
Police have not publicly identified the suspect or what he will be charged with at this time.
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