FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office Threat Management Unit arrested a Rhode Island man on bomb threat charges at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) on Sunday.
The incident unfolded around 5:26 p.m. when BSO deputies responded to a potential bomb threat in Terminal 1 at 50 Terminal Drive. An airport employee informed authorities that Tyler Baeder said, “Call the cops, I have a bomb in my bag.”
Preliminary findings indicated that 27-year-old Baeder made the statement in frustration after encountering difficulties with a kiosk while attempting to check into his flight. The TSA was notified and BSO deputies took Baeder into custody, subsequently evacuating the upper level of Terminal 1.
BSO’s Bomb Squad and Threat Management Unit detectives were dispatched to investigate. After a thorough inspection of Baeder’s belongings, the threat was deemed false.
Cara Ramsey was delayed several times before finding out her flight was canceled because of the incident.
“Everyone was loaded up, the jet was running, and they made us all get off,” she said. “It was delayed until this morning, we had to get off the plane.”
Lori Roberts, accompanying Ramsey, was anxious to get back home to Tennessee.
“We got here and was hoping to get to go home and something happened and they kept putting it off, putting it off and they finally told us it was a bomb threat,” said Ramsey. “We sit in there for a couple of hours, they load us in on the plane and then they made us get off.”
Baeder is currently held at BSO North Broward, facing charges of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive, or weapon of mass destruction, and resisting an officer without violence.
The threat also resulted in canceled flights and traffic delays.
“It’s crazy, I’m trying to get home, have a good time and all this happens, we gotta put off and miss work today,” continued Roberts.
Lily Toghiani is another passenger whose flight was affected.
“The flight was canceled, so very little information,” she said. “I think it’s today’s world, we just have to take it as it is, but we’re kind of upset because we have to pay for the hotel, we don’t know if we’re going to be reimbursed.”
He refused to appear in court Monday morning and has been ordered held in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Additionally, he was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and he is prohibited from returning to any airport in the tri-county area.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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