PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Courthouse was evacuated this morning (Friday) for the second time in two weeks after a caller passed on having heard that a bomb was in the building.
The courthouse was evacuated for about 30 minutes while the building was checked, said Sgt. John Keegan with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
The call came in at about 9:45 a.m.
No explosive devises were found, Keegan said.
Per a county policy currently under review, Keegan said a courthouse security officer pulled the fire alarm following the call.
Keegan said the officer likely did not know the policy was in the process of being reviewed.
Deputy Port Angeles Police Chief Brian Smith said the call came from a pay phone in the Port Angeles Rite Aid and Goodwill plaza along Lincoln Street.
The unidentified caller told police: “I heard there was a bomb in the courthouse.”
“We’re working on identifying the caller,” Smith said.
On March 28, Steven Alan Fortman Sr., 49, of Port Angeles allegedly called 9-1-1 at about 2 p.m. to report that bombs were set to go off at the courthouse and the Armory Square Mall on First Street.
Both buildings were evacuated. No bombs were found.
Fortman and Anthony Deason, 43, of Port Angeles were arrested for investigation of making the threats.
According to Port Angeles police, Fortman told police Deason asked him to make the threat because Deason had a court date he would not make.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
