A series of threats were called into businesses and law enforcement agencies in San Diego County amid a wave of bomb threats reported across the U.S.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department was responding to multiple calls from private businesses reporting bomb threats in communities like San Marcos, Vista and Lakeside.
The first call was received at 10:21 a.m. at DEI Holdings on Viper Way in Vista, a company once ran by former congressman Darrel Issa. The company said all employees were sent home when it received the threat.
A similar threat was made to the Fix Auto Collision shop in Poway. A manager told NBC 7 employees were told to wait outside for around 45 minutes while deputies inspected the business.
The building was cleared following the inspection and opened back up later in the afternoon.
An email sent to Players Sports Grill in Poway threatened to detonate a bomb if the restaurant didn't hand over cryptocurrency. The restaurant owner told NBC 7 that deputies told him similar incidents were happening in Poway and gave him the option of closing his business or keeping it open.
One reporting party stated he was told to provide $20,000 or a bomb would be detonated.
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Several other businesses received similar calls, deputies said.
"At this point, these are threats and there are no reports of explosives being detonated related to these e-mail threats," said Lt. Karen Stubkjaer.
She said the public should take the threats seriously and report them immediately to local law enforcement.
The San Diego Police Department told NBC 7 they have received calls from more than 10 locations in Miramar, Carmel Valley, Sorrento Valley, Otay Mesa, Kearny Mesa and Mission Beach.
The department said none of the reports officers responded to in the city were deemed credible.
A spokesperson for the local FBI office released this statement:
“We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety."
Local law enforcement agencies have not reported finding any explosives at this point.
Law enforcement authorities around the United States were responding to a wave of bomb threats, many of them sent by email.
The New York police department was monitoring "multiple bomb threats that have been sent electronically to various locations throughout the city."
Nearly a dozen threats were received at businesses throughout South Florida, including in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. At least three others were reported in Orlando.
Massachusetts State Police are investigating after multiple bombs threats were allegedly mailed to "numerous businesses in the state." Authorities said the MSP Fusion Center is tracking the activity.
An employee at a Chicago-area hospital told authorities they received an email about a bomb threat to the building Thursday around noon.
State police in Connecticut were investigating what they called several “suspicious incidents” across the state, including at a school in Griswold, the National Shooting Association and a plaza in Seymour.
This is a developing story
