A bomb threat that shut down one of the major bridges over the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for hours early Wednesday was not credible and the FBI in Louisville is taking over the investigation, according to the Covington police.
This all began with an anonymous phone call to 911 just before 5:30 a.m.
A man threatened to put pipe bombs on the John A. Roebling Bridge, demanded $400,000 and warned that “if he doesn’t get it he will kill everybody,” dispatchers confirmed.
As police responded to the bridge, dispatchers advised the caller threatened to shoot police if they pointed guns at him.
Just after the threat was reported, Covington police and Kenton County dispatchers asked Cincinnati police to respond and “to expedite it.”
Police cruisers on both sides of the Ohio River in Covington and Cincinnati blocked off their entrances to the bridge.
As a precaution, some Covington businesses near the bridge at Court Avenue and Park Place also were evacuated and the U.S. Coast Guard closed all river traffic under the bridge and in the area.
Kenton County police and Kenton County EMA also responded to the scene.
Meanwhile, police agencies in Campbell County rushed to check Ohio River bridges in their communities including the Interstate 471/Daniel Beard Bridge and Purple People Bridge in Newport and the Combs-Hehl Bridge along I-275, according to Campbell County dispatchers.
After the bridge was thoroughly checked and no devices were found, the all-clear was given around 8:45 a.m. with traffic resuming shortly after.
Cincinnati police spokesman Sgt. Anthony Mitchell said Cincinnati Police Department was only involved to assist Kentucky authorities by blocking the bridge entrance Downtown. The rest of the response is all Kentucky.
No arrests were made, according to Covington and Cincinnati police.
Source: WAVE
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