After receiving a threatening email from an individual claiming to have planted explosive devices and being armed with a knife, over 250 House and Senate members evacuated the State Capitol Complex in Pennsylvania on Saturday evening.
Pa. House and Senate members received this email this afternoon – and the folks working in the Capitol were told to exit the building pic.twitter.com/k3zOThG2IX [1]
— Jan Murphy (@JanMurphy) July 6, 2024 [2]
Per a number of sources, this text went out to House employees and legislators this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/N9ogR9d64l [3]
— Stephen Caruso (@StephenJ_Caruso) July 6, 2024 [4]
A House Democratic Caucus spokesperson verified that all individuals within the State Capitol were directed to evacuate without delay. Capitol Police, supported by K9 units, performed an area search in response to the alarming message.
The email, sent around 5:45 p.m. under the title “My manifesto,” stated that “highly lethal lead azide devices” had been hidden in the State Capitol and Pennsylvania Judicial Center in the name of Palestine. The sender threatened that the devices would be activated “every few hours” until President Joe Biden denounced Israel on television.
The incident occurred less than a day before Joe Biden’s planned visit to the Harrisburg area. Following the K9 search, Capitol Police confirmed that no explosive devices were found within the complex.
A joint effort between Capitol Police, the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, House and Senate security, and the Dauphin County Sheriff’s Office is underway to ensure the safety of the area. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to address the situation and maintain security in the wake of the threat.