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Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette Logo Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette

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Bomb scare at Berlin health center leads to evacuation

(March 16, 2017) About 50 people were evacuated from the Worcester County Health Department on Healthway Drive in Berlin on Wednesday when a man wearing a knapsack stood in the lobby and announced he was going to detonate a device and kill everyone.
Berlin Police Lt. J.D. Lawson police were called at about 11 a.m. The police evacuated the building and called the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office, which, in turn, contacted the Ocean City Police Department bomb squad.
Police arrested the man and took him to Peninsula Regional Medical Center for observation.
“It was evident that there were psychological issues present,” Lawson said.
A K-9 explosive-sniffing dog brought in by police found no explosives in the knapsack or on the property.
About two hours after the initial call was made, the building was turned back over to the health department and normal operations resumed.
The name of the suspect was withheld.
“We’re not releasing the name at this time because he’s a patient,” Lawson said. “But, it looks like criminal charges will be coming out of the incident.”
He added the incident was highly unusual for Berlin Police.
Lawson this threat differed greatly from the hoax variety that has become more prevalent in recent years.
“Normally, when you have a classic bomb threat, you have somebody that makes a phone call that’s usually made anonymously,” he said. “This was an incident where you had an individual present who had a bag in which he said he had a device in. It’s a little out of the way.”