Quote by Andrea Holland
For the second time in two weeks, a bomb threat prompted a lockdown that closed businesses in downtown Highlands. Around 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, Macon County Dispatch received a bomb threat initially reported to involve the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation. The Highlands Police Department responded and began establishing a perimeter around the church and the surrounding block of buildings.
As officers arrived, additional information from Macon County Dispatch indicated the caller was not reporting a bomb threat specifically at the church. Instead, the caller stated they were at “400 Main Street” with a bomb and made a general threat toward Christmas shoppers in the area.
“Responding units recognized that ‘400 Main Street’ is not a valid address,” said Highlands Police Chief Andrea Holland. “We requested additional assistance from Highlands Fire and Rescue, Town of Highlands Public Works crews, and the Macon County Sheriff’s Office to assist with closing inbound roads and establishing a secure perimeter. The Western Carolina University Police Department’s Bomb Detection K-9 unit was also requested.”
The reported address is at the intersection of 4th Street and Main Street, not a specific building or business. After stopping downtown traffic from 3rd St. to 5th St., officers began inspecting Main Street for suspicious persons or devices and advised pedestrians and business staff to seek shelter or evacuate. Highlands Police officers then performed a visual inspection of parked vehicles in the downtown area to look for any visible explosive or incendiary devices.
After the preliminary search, officers helped those who had sheltered in place evacuate the area. The WCU Police Department’s K-9 arrived and performed an outdoor sniff of buildings, sidewalks, and remaining vehicles. The K-9 did not find any signs of explosives. Once the search had been completed, Main St. reopened around 4:40 p.m.
Based on the similarity to a previous incident, the lack of evidence supporting the validity of the threat, and the results of the officer and K-9 searches, officials determined this incident to be another hoax or “swatting” call.
“The Town of Highlands and the Highlands Police Department appreciate the assistance of all involved agencies,” said Chief Holland. “We take any threat to our community seriously and will continue to investigate this matter thoroughly. In addition to local resources, we have enlisted the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and requested assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Given that this incident occurred so close to the Dec. 11 swatting, many are questioning whether the two are related. “We don’t have enough information right now to make that determination,” said Lt. Tim Broughton, Highlands Police Public Information Officer. “We are investigating all possible avenues. If anyone has information, please contact the Highlands Police Department.”
- Josh Bryson
editor@highlandsnews.com