Capitol reopens after 'credible' threat forces evacuation

The Utah Capitol reopened Wednesday morning after a bomb threat forced the evacuation of more than 650 people.

A room-by-room search of the Capitol by four bomb-sniffing dogs and about 40 highway patrol troopers turned up nothing suspicious, authorities said.

"A very agitated male" made the threat in a 911 call at about 7:28 a.m., Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Wade Breur said.

The caller warned that there would be "a lot of damage done and lives lost," Breur said.

The call was recorded and reviewed before officials said the threat was "credible," Breur said.

The caller had "no specific grievance," and he hung up when the dispatcher tried to get more information, Breur said.

Police also searched cars in a parking lot near the building and scanned packages in a mail room for explosives.

"When it comes down to it, we just don't want to take any chances," Breur said of the decision to evacuate 104 lawmakers, about 200 of their staff members, 350 other employees and hundreds of visitors.

Gov. Olene Walker was herding people out of the Capitol to a nearby state office building after the threat was deemed credible. Walker and a handful of legislators boarded an elevator to a heavily secured bunker in the basement of the state office building.

"She's always concerned about everyone around her," said Walker's spokeswoman, Amanda Covington.

Troopers turned away workers and people arriving at the Capitol for the day's legislative session.

Many of the state's 104 lawmakers walked through an underground parking garage into the state office building, and were milling in the hallways.

Officers dressed in military-like fatigues, wearing bulletproof vests and carrying guns entered the Capitol with the bomb-sniffing dogs about 9:30 a.m.

The day's House and Senate floor sessions were not scheduled to start until 10 a.m., but some lawmakers were in committee hearings when the threat was made.

"This is a huge waste of time," said Senate President Al Mansell said as he stood in 40-degree temperatures outside the Capitol. "All you have to do is look around here at the people doing nothing."

House Speaker Marty Stephens opened a delayed floor session of his chamber by declaring, "The government of this state cannot be cowed or intimidated by anonymous threats, and the work of this building will go on."