Five major hoax threats reported at local zoos and hospitals this week
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IDAHO FALLS — Since last weekend, there have been at least five incidents where false threats were reported at local zoos and hospitals.
Law enforcement agencies told EastIdahoNews.com that they do not know whether they are connected or part of a nationwide trend of swatting incidents, but they are continuing to investigate.
Hospital bomb threats — Sunday
The first two threats were called in to Idaho Falls Community Hospital and Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. According to Jessica Clements, spokeswoman for the Idaho Falls Police Department, reports of bombs at the hospitals came in at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 28. Both included hallmarks of hoax calls, Clements said.
IFPD officers responded to EIRMC, and Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Idaho Falls Community Hospital. They went through protocols and quickly determined there was no credible threat.
“It was early on Sunday with few people coming and going from either location, and handled very quickly, so it may not have been very noticeable,” Clements told EastIdahoNews.com.
At this time, police do not know who made the calls, but they were made from outside the area. The investigation is still ongoing.
Zoo Idaho bomb threat — Sunday
The third threat came in for Zoo Idaho in Pocatello. According to news releases from the City of Pocatello, a bomb threat was reported on Sunday, and the zoo was evacuated. It remained closed on Monday while local law enforcement and the FBI continued to investigate, though no threat to the public was found, and the zoo reopened on Tuesday.
RELATED: Zoo Idaho reopening Tuesday after bomb threat investigation finds no threat to public
Marlise Irby, a public information officer for the City of Pocatello, told EastIdahoNews.com on Wednesday that the city has no other information to share at this time.
Yellowstone Bear World bomb threat — Tuesday
On Tuesday, someone listed as an unknown caller called Yellowstone Bear World and said there was an explosive device on the property, according to Madison County Sheriff Ron Ball.
The park was evacuated, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office completed a search of Yellowstone Bear World without finding any explosives or threats. The park was then reopened to visitors.
RELATED: Yellowstone Bear World back open following bomb threat
Ball told EastIdahoNews.com on Wednesday that in these types of cases, it is hard to locate where the call originated. Ball said he hopes that, with recent threats of this type occurring across the nation, federal agencies will be able to help locate the caller.
Idaho Falls Community Hospital threat — Wednesday
On Wednesday morning, around 8 a.m., the Idaho Falls Community Hospital received a call from someone indicating they were on their way to the hospital to cause harm, and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office responded, according to a news release from the office.
RELATED: Sheriff’s office responds to threat called in at Idaho Falls Community Hospital
Deputies had staff and patients remain in their rooms while the building was checked. Deputies worked with hospital administration and determined there was no active threat, and the hospital resumed normal operations within the hour, according to the release.
Bryan Lovell, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, told EastIdahoNews.com on Wednesday that it was too early to tell whether the case was related to the previous threat at the hospital or to other threats made in the area.
National trends of ‘swatting’
According to the FBI, swatting is a malicious tactic of making hoax calls or reports to emergency services, typically feigning an immediate threat to life. Swatting is intended to draw a large response from SWAT teams or other law enforcement resources to a location, causing chaos and the potential for injury or violence.
Recently, the New York Times reported that about 40 zoos and aquariums across the U.S. have received threats of bombs or shooters.
EastIdahoNews.com reached out to the FBI for comment on whether they were investigating the local hoax calls, whether they were connected to each other, or whether they were connected to national swatting incidents. The agency referred EastIdahoNews.com to local law enforcement.
“Regarding swatting cases in general, the FBI takes potential threats very seriously and reminds the public that hoax threats are no joke,” said Sandra Barker, the FBI’s public affairs officer for the area. “Knowingly providing false information to emergency service agencies about a possible threat to life drains law enforcement resources, costs thousands of dollars, and, most importantly, puts innocent people at risk.”