DYER | An email claiming a bomb was on the third floor of Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Dyer prompted police to place the hospital on lockdown for more than three hours Tuesday.
The email was sent at 12:54 p.m. to the general mailbox at the hospital, said Dyer police Cmdr. Joe Cinko. Among the messages in the email was the phrase, "There's a bomb in your building, third floor."
The email contained "other rhetoric," Cinko said, but no specific information regarding plans to detonate the bomb at a certain time.
"It alluded to the reason why the bomb was placed there, something about them not receiving the service they were expecting from the hospital," Cinko said.
Officers responded to the hospital and placed the building on lockdown, not allowing anyone in or out, including ambulances coming into the emergency room.
"We conducted a complete search of areas accessible to the general public and on the third floor that are accessible to patients," Cinko said.
A bomb-sniffing dog also was used as part of the investigation. After 3 1/2 hours of searching with no results, Cinko said officers lifted the lockdown.
"We are currently in the process of investigating the origin of the email, and we have some specific leads," Cinko said, adding that charges will be pursued if and when a suspect is found.
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