Hays police bomb threat deemed 'swatting' hoax after library evacuation
Children were safely evacuated and reunited with families before normal operations resumed
HAYS — A bomb threat targeting the Hays Police Department forced the brief evacuation of the nearby Hays Public Library on Wednesday afternoon before authorities determined the incident was a fraudulent "swatting" hoax.
At approximately 4 p.m., an individual called the police department's non-emergency administration line and claimed to be walking toward the station at 105 W. 12th St. with an explosive device. The threat triggered a heavy law enforcement presence in the area, prompting officers to clear the library out of an abundance of caution.
All children inside the facility were safely evacuated and reunited with their families, and no suspects or explosive devices were found during a search of the immediate area.
The call was transferred to the Ellis County Communications Center, where dispatchers and officers assessed it as a false report intended to intentionally draw a massive emergency response. The incident mirrors a dangerous pattern of swatting hoaxes targeting institutions across Kansas that state leaders, including Gov. Laura Kelly, have been forced to navigate.
Following the all-clear, normal operations resumed at both the library and the police department at 4:45 p.m. Hays police confirmed there is no active danger to the public but are continuing to investigate the origin of the fraudulent call.
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