NEWTON, IOWA – A bomb scare caused an Iowa courthouse to be evacuated today, and now law enforcement is investigating.
On March 9th, 2017 at 10:31 AM, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office Dispatchers received a 911 call indicating there was a bomb in the courthouse. The courthouse was evacuated and area businesses were notified.
The courthouse was secured and searched by law enforcement officers and Jasper County Maintenance Staff. Nothing suspicious was located and the courthouse was reopened at approximately 11:00 AM. The Newton Police Department, Newton Fire Department, and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office SERT team assisted in the incident.
A criminal investigation is currently being conducted into this matter, Jasper county sheriff John R. Halferty said later Thursday.
