Updated: FBI investigating after hoax bomb threat made on bridge connecting Kentucky, Ohio
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge that connects Northern Kentucky and Ohio was closed for several hours Wednesday morning due to a bomb threat, according to Covington police and multiple reports from Cincinnati.
At around 5:23 a.m., Kenton County dispatchers received a bomb threat from an unknown person, police said. WCPO in Cincinnati reported that a man threatened to shoot police and put pipe bombs on the bridge. He reportedly demanded $400,000.
A Covington police captain told WCPO “every agency you can think of” responded to the scene. Traffic on the bridge was shut down with no vehicles or pedestrians permitted on the bridge, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Traffic on the Ohio River was also halted.
Some Covington businesses near the bridge were evacuated, according to Fox19.
Investigators later determined the threat was not credible, according to the FBI. Police said no device was found and no injuries were reported. No arrests have been made.
The FBI said it will continue to investigate the threat.
“The FBI takes all hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk and drains law enforcement resources unnecessarily,” the FBI said in a statement. “We urge the public to remain vigilant and report all suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately.”
KYTC reported just after 8:45 a.m. that the bridge had been cleared of police activity. The bridge reopened just before 9:15 a.m.
This story was originally published September 13, 2023 at 10:10 AM.
