Jewish Community Centers Across Country Receive Bomb Threats
A Southwest Miami-Dade Jewish Community Center was evacuated due to reports of a bomb threat on Monday. Shortly after the threat came in it was discovered that JCC’s across the country had received similar threats, which disrupted the school day for hundreds of people.
Officials say several JCC’s in Florida were among those that received threats across the U.S. The bomb threats came in via phone calls and included the Miami Beach JCC and the Dave and Mary Alper JCC in Southwest Miami-Dade.
On Monday morning Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to possible explosive device reports inside Dave and Mary Alper JCC at 11155 S.W. 112 Ave. Someone had made a phone threat earlier in the morning.
While that was going on a bomb threat was made at the Miami Beach JCC located at 4221 Pine Tree Drive at 10:45 a.m. People were evacuated from he building and Miami Beach Police swept inside the center.
Then just before 11 a.m. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue ordered the evacuation of 450 students and 70 staff members at three different schools at the Southwest Miami-Dade JCC.
At noon 112th Avenue was blocked off to traffic while law enforcement investigated the premises. Three police K-9 officers arrived to the scene shortly after to investigate the campus.
Those evacuated including students, faculty and staff were told to gather into groups about a block away at 112th Street and 112th Avenue in the tennis and basketball courts. Family members were able to pick up their children from that area and were seen being reunited with each other.
Majority of parents arrived to pick up children just before 1 p.m. About that time the Miami Beach JCC was given the all-clear.
While police investigated in Southwest Miami-Dade, officers told parents and children to remain calm and collected. By 3 p.m. the all-clear was given there as well.
“In this world, you never know what’s going to happen,” said parent Kelly Fung to WSVN. “You never know when’s your last breath, so I’m just happy.”
Bomb threats were also reported in the United Kingdom at the same time.
