Package found at Courthouse thought to be bomb Friday

Local News

July 26, 2010

Keven Gilbert The Americus Times-Recorder The Times-Recorder Mon Jul 26, 2010, 08:22 PM EDT

AMERICUS — The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Americus Police Department and the Georgia Bureau investigation (GBI) responded to a report of a suspicious package that was left at the Sumter County Courthouse on Friday.

“I received a call saying there was a suspicious package a little before 5 p.m.,” said Bill Bodrey, special agent bomb technician for GBI Region 3. Bodrey said that he received information from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office stating that a man came into the Courthouse carrying a cardboard box, measuring about 18 cubic inches and asked to see a judge. Bodrey said that the man could not give a reason to speak to a judge and would not say which judge he wished to speak with and was turned away. Upon leaving, the man left the package at the top of the courthouse steps near the entry way.

Bodrey said that after Lamar Street was closed off by local law enforcement, he used a robot to open up the package, revealing nothing of any danger; only “personal belongings and trash.”

“Kudos to the Police and Sheriff’s departments,” Bodrey said. “They did a good job evacuating everyone — they did not over react,” Bodrey said.

According to Lt. Lee Gibson the courthouse was evacuated around 4:30 p.m.

“We closed off Lamar when the robot was brought to the front door,” said Gibson. Between 7:30 and 8 p.m., it was discovered that the package posed no danger and the situation was resolved. Gibson said Monday that there is an ongoing investigation into the incident.

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Package found at Courthouse thought to be bomb Friday

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