VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach courthouse has been evacuated and closed for the rest of Tuesday after receiving a bomb threat.
Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office tweeted that an evacuation was issued for the courthouse. Courts closed for the day to "ensure the public’s safety," VBSO tweeted. They say normal business is expected at the courts on Wednesday.
Officers have declared that all courts are clear. Crews cleared the building and they say they found no explosive devices or any other public safety threats.
The VBSO says the threats were credible but ultimately unsubstantiated.
All employees are welcome to come back to the building. Court proceedings are still off until Wednesday, officials report.
An evacuation order has been issued for the Virginia Beach Courthouse. Additional information will be released as soon it’s available. #virginiabeach #publicsafety #757Alert
— VB Sheriff's Office (@VBSO) December 13, 2022
“When it comes to the safety of the public, we take no chances," said Undersheriff Brian Struzzieri. "We responded quickly to these threats to ensure the safety of everyone inside the Virginia Beach Courthouse. I'm grateful that they were ultimately unsubstantiated and that we were able to quickly sweep and clear the building. This is why we train and why we are always ready. Thank you to the public for their cooperation and to our public safety partners for helping bring this incident to a swift and safe conclusion."
The Virginia Beach Courthouse is reportedly one of the most heavily trafficked public buildings in the city, with hundreds of people coming and going every day.
The VBSO is responsible for the security of the building and conducts thorough security checks of patrons as they enter, in addition to searching the building using its explosive-detecting K9 every day. The Virginia Beach Police Department will be the lead agency for investigating the source of the threats called into 911.
