November 25, 2024

Bomb threat prompts evacuations in downtown Leavenworth, hospital lockdown

Leavenworth #Leavenworth

Bomb threat prompts evacuations in downtown Leavenworth, hospital lockdown

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The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office ordered an evacuation Tuesday night that included downtown Leavenworth after a male caller told a 911 dispatcher that he had placed an explosive device in a garbage can, authorities said.

The unidentified caller made the threat shortly after 9 p.m., prompting officials to mount a massive search for the device the caller said was placed in a trash receptacle located in the 800 block of Front Street. Officers were also working to escort people out of the area during their investigation, the sheriff’s office said. 

No injuries have been reported but Washington State Patrol troopers closed several roads in the area, including State Route 2 between Icicle and East Leavenworth roads. Drivers were urged to avoid the area. 

Law enforcement officers were on foot patrol to keep bystanders away from the area and the State Patrol called in its bomb tech team to help search for a possible explosive.

Shortly after 9 p.m., Cascade Medical Center posted on Facebook that its emergency department was still admitting patients in need of immediate medical help but staffers were also sheltering in place and lockdown procedures have been implemented.

The sheriff’s office has also launched an effort to find the caller who made the threat. 

The bomb threat came less than a week after a man detonated a blast in downtown Nashville, an explosion that leveled a city block on Christmas Day.   

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