Bomb threat to Park City treatment facility determined to be a hoax

Photo: Summit County Sheriff

PARK CITY, Utah — A business on Highland Drive received an anonymous emailed bomb threat Monday morning, prompting a brief road closure and a response from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office explosive detection K9.

According to Sgt. Skyler Talbot, deputies quickly determined the threat was a hoax. The case remains under investigation.

Staff at the targeted treatment facility received an email from an unknown sender claiming that an explosive device had been placed on the property and would detonate at a specific time Monday morning, according to Talbot. The sender’s email address was unrecognized, and the message contained no motive or explanation for targeting the business.

“We had deputies close Highland Drive until they were able to determine that the threat wasn’t credible,” Talbot said. “We deployed one of our explosive detection dogs, and they didn’t indicate anything.”

Fire units from Park City Fire District staged nearby as a precaution, which Talbot said is standard protocol during such incidents. The entire response lasted less than an hour, and Highland Drive was closed for approximately 20 minutes.

Once deputies determined there was no imminent threat, the area was reopened. The Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division has taken over the case and will work to trace the origin of the email and identify the sender. If a suspect is found, they could face charges for making a terroristic threat.

While hoax threats are uncommon in Summit County, Talbot said deputies follow a consistent response plan when one is reported.

“Anytime a threat like this comes in, we’re going to treat it as if it’s a real, imminent threat to the public until we can prove otherwise,” he said. “We always err on the side of public safety, but we also want to avoid unnecessary disruption once we determine there’s no danger.”

The Sheriff’s Office encouraged businesses to contact law enforcement immediately if they receive similar threats.

“If you ever receive a threat like this, 100% of the time you should call law enforcement,” Talbot said. “We appreciate the public being patient with us while we investigate and make sure the community is safe.”

Talbot emphasized that Monday’s incident appeared isolated and that investigators have no reason to believe other facilities are at risk.