Bomb threat to court house

Investigators probe bomb threats at Springfield juvenile and housing courts
by The Republican Newsroom
Wednesday July 22, 2009, 8:11 AM
Photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanA member of the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad walks up the steps of the Springfield Juvenile Court on the State Street side Wednesday morning to inspect a package that was left there under a spray- painted sign that says "boom." The package was later detonated by the bomb squad.
This is a 1:02 p.m. update of a story originally posted at 8:11 this morning. By GEORGE GRAHAM ggraham@repub.com and BUFFY SPENCER bspencer@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - Suspicious items and spray-painted messages discovered at the front doors of both the Springfield juvenile and housing courts Wednesday morning prompted a full-scale response from the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad. Police cordoned off the area, including the Hampden County Hall of Justice next door on State Street, following the discovery of the items and messages at about 7 a.m. The words "boom" and "bomb" were spray-painted on the front doors of those two courthouses which share the same building.
suspicious package delays Hall of Justice opening
Photo by Mark M. Murray / The Republican A suspicious yellow package that was left at the front door of the Springfield Juvenile Court building at 80 State Street.
Members of the arson and bomb squad continued Wednesday to probe the hoax, Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said. Employees of all the courts in both buildings stood across State Street from the Hall of Justice watching as police kept anyone from getting near the building housing the juvenile and housing Courts. The public parking lot across from Juvenile Court was kept empty as the torrent of people who pour into the courts each day waited nearby and shared with each other what they had heard. A box, which apparently once held nails, was found at the front door of the juvenile court. Above it, on the door, the word "boom" was spray-painted. A member of the bomb squad, dressed in full protective gear, placed a detonator near the box and a short time later a small explosive sound was heard as it was opened remotely.
Photo by Mark M. Murray / The RepublicanOfficials stay clear of the Springfield Juvenile Court building.The box turned out to be empty, Leger said. The door to the building's Court Street side, which serves as entrance to the housing court, was spray-painted with the word "bomb." Beneath it were several beverage containers and trash, Leger said. The Hall of Justice opened for business about 9 a.m. Prospective jurors, who had had to wait, too, were allowed in shortly before the building's official opening.
The building housing the juvenile and housing courts opened a short time later.