Illinois among several states hit with bomb threats to their capitols

Illinois was among several states on Wednesday to receive an emailed bomb threat to its statehouse, though no bombs were found and the FBI deemed the wave of threats to be a hoax.

The Illinois Secretary of State Police hazardous device unit conducted sweeps inside and outside the Capitol itself and the nearby Howlett, Stratton and state archives buildings. No evacuations were ordered, officials said.

“The Secretary of State’s office takes these threats very seriously and is working with other law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of employees and the public and to determine the source of the threat,” Deputy Secretary of State Scott Burnham said.

Statehouse offices or other government buildings in Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and Maryland also received threats.

The FBI said it was aware of “numerous hoax incidents.”

“While we have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention,” the FBI said in a statement. “We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately.”

The wave of bomb threats came as several public officials across the U.S. were subjected in recent days to “swatting” calls, which are prank 911 calls aimed at bringing a police response to a particular location.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com