OSP ‘neutralizes’ Bend courthouse package, believed to be hoax

(Update: caller said there were two bombs, more info from DA, livestream and security videos; some roads reopen)

Someone placed a suspicious package at the Deschutes County Courthouse steps early Monday morning and a caller said he’d placed two bombs in the area, prompting downtown Bend evacuations, street closures and call-out of the OSP bomb squad from Salem, which used a water cannon to ” neutralize ” the package.

District Attorney John Hummel later told NewsChannel 21 the package is believed to have been a ” hoax ” device. But the search continued for any second package and sheriff’s deputies released a security photo of the apparent suspect — carrying a package — and sought tips from the public.

After the found package was rendered harmless, several closed streets reopened, except for Bond and Harriman streets directly in front of and behind the courthouse complex. They reopened as well by mid-afternoon.

A Deschutes County maintenance worker saw someone place a package and flee around 6:30 a.m., prompting the employee to notify their supervisor, District Attorney John Hummel said in a livestreamed interview with NewsChannel 21′ s Jessie Foster.

Around the same time, someone — presumably the same person — called to claim they had planted two bombs, one at the courthouse and another nearby, Hummel said. No reason why was given by the caller.

The courthouse was evacuated, as well as the district attorney’s office in the connected, adjacent old courthouse building. A bank and law office across the street also were evacuated, Hummel said, adding that the courthouse and DA’s office would be closed the rest of the day.

The OSP Explosive Unit arrived around 11 a.m. to begin assessing and X-ray the found package, then used a water cannon to neutralize and render it harmless, sheriff’s Sgt. William Bailey said.

The second purported bomb had not been found. An explosives-detection K-9 team was brought in to assist in the search.

Hummel said the court staff will notify people who had hearings set for Monday of their rescheduled court dates.

Since the motive for the bomb threat was not given by the caller, Hummel urged anyone with possible information about a possible suspect to contact police.

Hummel said authorities are gathering tips and leads, ” brainstorming, chasing down every possibility. So if anyone says, ‘Huh, my neighbor was saying ‘f— the judges’ or ‘f— the DA’ — if anyone’s heard any unusual or concerning statements, we ask they get in touch with police right away. ”

Anyone with information about the person in the photo was asked to contact Deschutes County dispatch, reference Case No. 19-243758.

Greenwood Avenue, Bond Street and Harriman Avenue were closed due to the threat, sheriff’s Sgt. William Bailey said.

” For all court matters, please contact them later in the day after this incident is resolved, ” Bailey said in a brief announcement around 8:30 a.m.

Hummel said the phoned threat was to the courthouse and not his office specifically, which is located in the original courthouse building and connected to the Justice Center courtrooms.

Numerous law enforcement converged on the area to respond to the threat and help check the building and area.

The closures were extended at mid-morning to the Bend Parkway exit from Lafayette Avenue from Wall to Hill streets, but police said the entrance from Lafayette Avenue to the Deschutes Services Building remained open. They said the road closures “are expected to last several more hours. ”

Hummel, at the incident command post, called it “a very active investigation, ” with “detectives chasing down every lead. ”

We’ll have updates and more details as available.