New details emerge about email that sent bomb threats, caused Lancaster City evacuation

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)– It is possible that the bomb threats that caused dozens of Lancaster City residents to be evacuated Saturday may have come from outside the United States, the District Attorney’s Office announced.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is helping the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office and Lancaster Bureau of Police investigate the threats that were sent in an email around noon and said that explosives were going to detonate at 1:30 p.m., a news release reads.

Following the threat, law enforcement got an emergency authorization from a Lancaster County judge to get more information about the email account, and now investigators believe that the email came from outside the United States.

“Results of that search led investigators to believe the contents of the threat originated from outside the United States.,” the release states.

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The threats targeted the Lancaster Public Library, Lancaster Online | LNP, and individuals of LNP, the library and Lancaster Pride.

Just before the threats, a Drag Story Hour Event which was scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Lancaster Public Library was canceled after a “suspicious” package was discovered by K9s during a preplanned sweep, the DA’s Office says. It was later discovered that there were USDA coloring books inside the package after a State Police bomb squad cleared the scene.

There are multiple reasons why the K9’s were alerted to the package, the DA’s Office said, including being stored close, or coming into contact with, certain items during shipping that may contain compounds the dogs react too.

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Law enforcement are urging anyone with any information regarding the threats to contact them at 717-735-3300.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.