Another bomb threat hoax in Tampa puts two schools on lockdown

Police in Tampa, Fla. say the bomb threat was a hoax after two bay area schools were put on lockdown. According to Tampa police, someone else also called police dispatch at 11:42 a.m. this morning and said a bomb was placed in a men’s bathroom at the department’s downtown headquarters.

While the full lockdown is over at Freedom High and Liberty Middle Schools in Hillsborough County after the bomb threat, police after offered no answers to the two incidents.

“We take all threats seriously and the Tampa Police Dept. and school security were both called out to the school,” the school district says. Police said an anonymous call reporting a bomb in the Tampa Police Department headquarters was also a hoax.

Police searched the building but did not find a suspicious device. However, they did find an unattended bag near the entrance of the secure police garage. The Tampa Bomb Squad used its bomb robot to open the package and render it safe. The bomb technicians then determined the bag was empty.

Both schools have resumed their normal schedules. Schools officials confirmed the hour long lockdown while speaking with The Global Dispatch, but offered no insight into the culprit at this point. The source did confirm that threat was related to Freedom High School.

Jay Ward productions