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.
>UPDATE 5:20 p.m.
BPD station evacuating quickly helped with their response. No idea when we can go back into station pic.twitter.com/WomVXH8Nq4
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 5:05 p.m.
UPDATE- BPD @TJSmithMedia suspect is alive at hospital. Additional briefing in 5 minutes. The car set on fire before station threat is his
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 4:40 p.m
Teams are now sweeping the FOX45 building pic.twitter.com/N4J7qtwA2H
— FOX Baltimore (@FOXBaltimore) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 4:24 p.m.
Photographer Patrick Boquard describes what he sees.
Photographer Patrick Boquard describes video he shot of suspect being removed by police. We don't know his condition pic.twitter.com/UT4NTrdAL7
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 4:22 p.m.
Police have removed man from street – after robot examined him, then officers removed his clothes pic.twitter.com/YwQWJlVSXx
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 3:51
Robot trying to get suspect to show his hands. pic.twitter.com/ekDM4i3qGm
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>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.
Here is the robot. Man is in the street on 41st. Right in front of @FOXBaltimore pic.twitter.com/8rzPeSfXjP
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 3:24 p.m.:
Threat is not over. Police sending robot in. Don't know if bomb threat is real. Taking very seriously. pic.twitter.com/M51cNWVyfN
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE 3:23 p.m.: Reporter Shelley Orman posted video of the guy walking out of WBFF on twitter.
Video of man walking out of @FOXBaltimore pic.twitter.com/3Q2i4gwtw6
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
#LATEST: Loud bangs, suspect who claimed to have bomb on the ground after walking out of Fox 45 bldg in Baltimore. https://t.co/jxUWmla456
— WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@cbsbaltimore) April 28, 2016
#BREAKING: Security guard at Fox 45 says man walked into station wearing a hedgehog onesie claiming he had a bomb. #WJZ @cbsbaltimore
— George Solis WJZ (@GeorgeSolisWJZ) April 28, 2016
One of our producers describes what happened when man came to station pic.twitter.com/ocWYw7ZqAX
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
Producer @McGrewFox45 talks about the news becoming news. pic.twitter.com/t4CZkaHGPs
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
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.
NBC affiliate WBAL, ABC affiliate WMAR and CBS-owned WJZ are covering the story on their websites.
Man inside lobby saying he has a bomb strapped to him – @FOXBaltimore station evacuated pic.twitter.com/dP1SGelkAT
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
>UPDATE: 3:11 p.m. Fox News reports “Suspect Down, Not Moving.”
Radio – what im listening to now pic.twitter.com/Wumr0DxhiG
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016
Police- man is lying Outside the station. Still has object in left hand. Trying determine threat.
— Shelley Orman (@ShelleyOFox45) April 28, 2016