Law enforcement throughout Colorado are investigating a litany of bomb threats made against businesses, utilities, organizations and schools Thursday. The majority of bomb threats have come in via email, but some cities and places have received bomb threats over the phone.
The Colorado Office of Emergency Management has activated at Level 3 to support state and nationwide efforts to investigate these bomb threats, according to a spokesperson. A Level 3 activation means there is a command center with about 15 people operating at the state's Office of Emergency Management in Centennial. The Colorado Information Analysis Center is also supporting local jurisdictions as they investigate these threats.
The EOC's focus is to prevent terrorism in Colorado and they're working with the FBI in Denver, who is the lead agency investigating these crimes in Colorado, according to a spokesperson. Nationwide, the FBI Joint Terrorism Taskforce is the lead investigative agency.
The Colorado EOC said over Twitter that the FBI is reporting more than 25 states have received threats.
From Alaska to Florida, California to New York and right here in Colorado, law enforcement has its hands full investigating reports of bomb threats have forced many evacuations.
FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are assisting with the investigation in Colorado and throughout the United States. Sources aiding in the investigation tell 9Wants to Know the FBI and ATF are looking into a connection between all the bomb threats. Those same sources said the threats do not seem credible.
According to sources, bomb threats were reported at numerous schools across the metro area, including Columbine High School on Thursday. The subject line in some of the emails sent to these various organizations says "Think Twice."
Several law enforcement agencies around Colorado have put out an alert to their residents, including the Denver Police Department, Boulder Police Department, Fort Collins Police Department, Colorado Springs Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Broomfield Police Department, Colorado State University Police, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, and the Eagle County Sheriff's Office.
The Boulder Police Department said that several businesses in the city may have been affected.
According to the Fort Collins Police Department, they've received several reports of emailed threats demanding Bitcoin payments. No reports have been substantiated. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said they received similar reports in unincorporated parts of the county.
The Denver Police Department said they were working with federal partners to investigate the bomb threats that started coming in around 11:30 a.m. None have been confirmed and there have been no reported evacuations in Denver.
Broomfield PD said via Twitter that their department received a similar bomb threat in the area of West 117th Avenue and that 14 units were searched, turning up nothing.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office said there were threatening calls made to random businesses in the county with none being considered credible. The Sheriff's Office said they believe the threats are related to the nationwide hoax.
Earlier in the day on Thursday, lockouts were ordered at most schools in Jefferson County related to a threat made against Columbine High School early in the morning. Jefferson County Public Schools said all students were safe and that the threat did not appear to be true.
Many other cities have received similar bomb threats throughout the U.S., including San Fransisco; Dallas; Washington; New York; Detroit; Chicago; Orlando; Buffalo, New York; Boise, Idaho; Cleveland, Ohio.
In an email forwarded to 9NEWS from a business in Colorado, the email demands $20,000 in Bitcoin and threatens the business with a bomb if their demands aren't met.
The same business in Denver received the threatening email twice, one with the subject line "I give you a chance," and the other had "Use your time wisely." Both demanded $20,000 and both said there was an "explosive device" inside the building that if exploded would lead to "many victims." None of these threatening emails have been substantiated.
According to a statement put out by the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, if you or your agency receive a similar emailed threat, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.
The investigation remains ongoing nationwide.
