Workers return after bomb threat forces Truman Building evacuation

People flood back into the Harry S. Truman building after police signaled the area was safe Wednesday following a bomb threat that evacuated the building.
People flood back into the Harry S. Truman building after police signaled the area was safe Wednesday following a bomb threat that evacuated the building.

A phoned in bomb threat caused the evacuation of hundred of state workers at the Truman State Office Building, Wednesday afternoon.

According to Department of Public Safety Spokesman Mike O'Connell, the call came in at about 1:30 p.m.

Capitol Police began evacuating the building as a precautionary measure. Their officers along with members of the Missouri Highway Patrol swept the building, using canine units to aid in their search.

One employee said an announcement came over the building intercom asking that all employees and visitors evacuate immediately and the message did not give a specific reason for the evacuation, unlike times in the past when fire drills or weather warnings had been issued.

Most of the employees stayed on the corner of the south lawn of the Capitol, near St. Peter Catholic Church, during the approximately 90 minute wait while authorities searched the building.

No injuries were reported.

"They felt they had a responsibility to the employees and the citizens who were visiting state offices at the time to investigate the matter thoroughly," O'Connell said. "That included sweeping the building and also investigating this call and they continue to investigate."

O'Connell said Capitol Police and the Missouri Highway Patrol are combining their efforts to investigate this incident.

Jefferson City police officials said state officials notified them that the threat had been called in, but were told they did not need to respond. Fire units were also not called to the scene and streets around the building were not blocked off.

"They (Capitol Police and the Missouri Highway Patrol) were comfortable as to how everybody responded for this," O'Connell said.