New Hanover Courthouse Closed by Phony Bomb Threat
Wednesday afternoon, December 1, 2010, the New Hanover County Courthouse in Wilmington, NC was evacuated after someone phoned in a false bomb threat. After an extensive search, and shutting down the adjacent streets to create a perimeter, no bomb was found. The courthouse was closed for about two hours, creating a huge disruption of the business of the courts.
Bomb threats are taken seriously at public buildings, and can be very scary and costly for those involved. Making a bomb threat in North Carolina is a class H felony, punishable for up to a maximum of 30 months in prison. The criminal statute prohibiting making such threats is NCGS ยง 14-69.1.