WILTON MANORS, FLA. (WSVN) - Police in Wilton Manors spent hours investigating a bomb threat that, they said, was made inside of a dentist’s office and ended up being a hoax, leading officers to take a man into custody.
According to Wilton Manors Police, at around 8 p.m. on Thursday, officers were able to apprehend Brian Koller the man and examine the suspicious package he claimed to have been a bomb. It was not.
About three hours earlier, 7Skyforce hovered over an office building along the 2500 block of Northwest Ninth Avenue.
Police set up a command post outside the building, as a bomb squad and SWAT team assembled.
Investigators said the suspect walked into the office carrying a package or backpack, just after 3:10 p.m., claimed to have a bomb in his possession and refused to leave.
Police evacuated neighboring businesses and shut down Wilton Drive between the 11th and 15th avenues.
Area resident Jackie Franco described the frightening moments after she was told to leave.
“It was very scary because I’m literally right there. I just called my kids, they’re like, ‘Get out, get out, get out of the house, it’s a bomb, get out, get out,'” she said. “I grabbed the dog, ‘just get out,’ and that’s what I did, grabbed my dog and my keys. I was able to go back in and grab my purse and water, but they are not letting us anywhere near Ninth Avenue.”
Wilton Manors Police later released a statement regarding the active investigation.
People were urged to avoid the area of Northeast Ninth Avenue between Wilton Drive and Northeast 26 Street.
Hours later, police confirmed the SWAT team and bomb squad made contact with the suspect.
Just before 8 p.m, Wilton Manors Police took to Twitter to ask residents who live in the following areas to shelter in place:
- Northeast 23rd Drive and to the south of Northeast 23rd Drive.
- Northeast 27th Street and to the north of Northeast 27th Street.
- West of North Sixth Avenue.
- East of North Dixie Highway
The area has since cleared.
Koller faces three felony charges: threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal mischief.
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