BOMB THREAT NEXT TO YCSO HEADQUARTERS IN PRESCOTT

Published on January 27, 2023

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BOMB THREAT NEXT TO YCSO HEADQUARTERS IN PRESCOTT

PRESCOTT ARIZONA (January 27, 2023) –Yesterday at approximately noontime, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Prescott Police Department, and Yavapai-Prescott Tribal Police Department responded to a parking lot next to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office in Prescott for a report of bomb threat. Dispatchers informed responding Officers and Deputies that a female contacted 911 to state a 'white van is in front of the building' and that the male subject in the van told her not to move otherwise he would 'blow her up'. Dispatch described the vehicle as a white van with tubes on the top. Yavapai-Prescott Tribal Police Department was enroute with a Bomb detection dog.

YCSO deputies searched the area and found the van on Alarcon and Union streets in a parking lot.  They spotted a man behind the van, who when verbally confronted by deputies, moved further out of sight behind the vehicle.  During this time, a YCSO Commander who was on-site in his office, was able to approach the man from behind and handcuff him.

The bomb dog was deployed to explore the scene, but did not “alert” on the van, giving initial indications that there was not bomb material inside or nearby.  A subsequent search of the van was completed, and nothing bomb related was found in the vehicle. 

During questioning by the Prescott PD, the male subject, Michael Johncharles Anderson, 43 of Californian, claimed his female friend was making the whole story up. While interviewing the woman, who drove from California with the suspect, she reported that the male made strange comments about blowing up two city blocks.  That was when he dropped her off at the Sheriff's Office and told her not to go anywhere until he left.   

Anderson has been charged with Terroristic Threats, Threatening - Public Inconvenience, Possession of Dangerous Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Dangerous Drugs pending further investigation.

 

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