Bomb Threat At Cocke Co. Courthouse Saturday

Cocke County Sheriff’s Department and employees at the courthouse dealt with a bomb threat at the courthouse Saturday morning. At approximately 8:30, Saturday morning…Captain Terry Lawson of the Newport Police Department notified Lieutenant Ricky Holt of a bomb threat at the courthouse. The initial threat was on the voicemail from a left message at 1:30 am. The sheriff’s department followed procedures and locked down the courthouse, that included closing offices, and evacuating the old jail and all of the building. The sheriff’s department than contacted Sheriff Jeff Coffee of Jefferson County to provide an explosive device K-9 and within minutes of evacuation…the K-9 arrived a short time later and no explosive was located and inmates were moved back into the jail. The Cocke County Sheriffs Office, and Jefferson County sheriff’s office all worked together to secure the scene and sweep the courthouse. A Flag ceremony that was planned on the courthouse lawn was allowed to continue that morning.