Blackwell P.D. release statement on Thursday bomb threat

by Charles Gerian

A bomb threat was called into a local dispensary on Main Street across from the Blackwell Fairgrounds Thursday afternoon, September 14, 2023, causing the entire area to be locked down for nearly 2 hours while law enforcement agencies and first responders set up a perimeter.

The Kay County Sheriff's office informed the Blackwell Journal-Tribune that the building was searched and that no device was found. The office also confirmed that an individual was detained in relation to the threat.

They informed the Journal-Tribune that the case was being handled by the Blackwell Police Department.

The Blackwell Police Department released a statement following the afternoon's event:

"At 11:35 the Blackwell Police Department received a call from Entrado Emergency Center. They stated that they had received a call from a subject stating that he was going to throw a bomb through the window of a marijuana business. The area was evacuated and searched for explosive devices. There were no devices found in the area. A copy of the 911 call was obtained and the subject that made the phone call was located and interviewed. At this time, the incident is still under investigation."

As of press time, there is no threat and the fairgrounds have been cleared safe for fair-goers to return as normal.

The bomb threat was handled by the Kay County Sherrif's Office, Kay County District Attorney's Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Tonkawa Police Department, Blackwell Fire Department, Tonkawa Fire Department, Blackwell Police Department, and the Blackwell Electric Department who assisted law enforcement in closing off the area.