Bomb Threats Close Courthouses

Bomb threats prompted police to evacuate the state’s 45 courthouses Friday, abruptly interrupting trials and sending judges, lawyers and people with routine court business into the streets.

A caller said bombs would go off at 2 p.m. The buildings were searched with dogs and no explosives were found.

Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle said there were five threats that were not directed against specific courthouses.

“The calls were not specific as to particular courthouses, which of course compounded the problem,” Boyle said. “The calls simply stated that bombs had been placed in courthouses, or one call I believe said ‘judicial buildings’ in the state of Connecticut.”