FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A bomb threat emailed to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital Saturday marked the fourth such threat made via email in less than two weeks on the Treasure Coast. Fort Pierce police are now working with the FBI to track down the source.
Police learned an email was sent just before 11 a.m. Saturday alleging two bombs were planted inside the hospital. The Fort Pierce Police Department mobilized and partially evacuated the facility.
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A spokesperson for HCA said patient care was not impacted, and visitors were asked to wait outside while police swept the two areas mentioned in the threat. Authorities ultimately determined the threat was not credible.
Fort Pierce police said Saturday's threat was similar in nature to a threat made at nearby Indian River State College earlier this week, as well as two threats at Treasure Coast area high schools.
We were at Fort Pierce Central High School last week when law enforcement responded to the scene. Parent Angela Jones described her reaction when she learned there was a threat.
"I was concerned. I was worried. I was like, what's going on? I got a phone call from the school stating that it was a bomb threat," Jones said.
Then, on Thursday, a similar situation unfolded at Martin County High School.
Nothing was found at any of the campuses. Police said all of the recent incidents are being investigated holistically.
Former State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Dave Aronberg, said law enforcement is getting better at tracking down suspects in these cases, even when jurisdictional issues arise depending on where a threat originated.
"They have a lot of advanced tools who can, that can track people and find out through IP addresses and other means. They can issue subpoenas," Aronberg said.
Aronberg also outlined the serious legal consequences for anyone found responsible.
"Florida law makes it a 2nd-degree felony to compose and send any written or electronic record that includes emails or text messages that threaten to kill or do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. So you're talking about a serious felony punishment of up to 15 years in prison," Aronberg said.
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