Fox 45 Employees Evacuated After Bomb Threat

By Chris Ariens 

Breaking: Baltimore Police are on the scene of a bomb threat at WBFF, Fox 45 in Baltimore. Employees have been evacuated as police determine the severity of the threat. “We cover so many of these stories ourselves, it’s surreal to be a part of it,” said producer Paul McGrew.

News director Mike Tomko (right) held an impromptu news conference outside the station, while also gathering and reporting information himself.

Click here to see the WJZ live stream.

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>UPDATE 5:20 p.m.

>UPDATE 5:05 p.m.

>UPDATE 4:40 p.m

>UPDATE 4:24 p.m.
Photographer Patrick Boquard describes what he sees.

>UPDATE 4:22 p.m.

>UPDATE 3:51

>UPDATE:3:36 p.m.: Police spokesperson says police got call about 1:20 p.m. about a guy in an outfit with a surgical style mask on his face. The guy spoke with a contractor working on the building then displayed “wires” suggesting he had a bomb. Outside the station a car was set on fire.

The suspect came out of the station a few minutes ago and ignored police who asked him to take his hands out of his pockets. A police sniper shot him. He’s still alive and lying in the street.

Police say he’s still not cooperating. “The situation is not secure. The situation is not safe.” The cops are using a robot to check on his claims about a bomb.

>UPDATE: 3:35 p.m.: WJZ says WBFF told them the station plans on airing an “unconventional” newscast tonight.

WBFF has added comment from Tomko:
“Someone came into the front of the building and they apparently said that they had some information they wanted to get on the air,” Tomko said. “I came down at one point not knowing the person was in the lobby, near the vestibule area. He talked to me and was wearing what appears to be a full body white panda suit, surgical mask and sunglasses. He had a flash drive, said he had information he wanted to get on the air. He compared it to the information found in the Panama Papers. I told him, ‘I can’t let you in, you’re going to have to leave the flash drive here and slide it through the opening.’ He wouldn’t do that. Apparently he had made some threats before.”

>UPDATE 3:36 p.m.

>UPDATE 3:24 p.m.:

>UPDATE 3:23 p.m.: Reporter Shelley Orman posted video of the guy walking out of WBFF on twitter.

According to Tomko, another threat was made earlier in the day to another employee, though specifics of that threat are unknown at this time.

The station also posted a picture of the suspect in the station lobby.
guy in lobby WBFF

NBC affiliate WBAL, ABC affiliate WMAR and CBS-owned WJZ are covering the story on their websites.

>UPDATE: 3:11 p.m. Fox News reports “Suspect Down, Not Moving.”

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