FBI investigating reported bomb threat at Rep. Vern Buchanan’s Sarasota office
The FBI is looking into a reported bomb threat at U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan’s Sarasota office.
On Monday, April 20, a caller made violent comments and claimed that a bomb had been placed at the 111 South Orange Ave. #202W office, Chloe Conboy, Buchanan’s press secretary, said in a statement.
“At 7:26 p.m. Monday night our Sarasota office received a phone message from a man who said he placed a bomb in our office. The caller said, ‘I’ve placed a bomb at the office... you’re all gonna die... your kids, your husbands, everybody else,’” Conboy said.
“The message also included other comments of a violent nature. The area code of the caller was 941,” she continued.
The office immediately contacted the Sarasota Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police. The Sarasota Police Department’s public information officer, Genevieve Judge, declined to comment on the case, citing the FBI as the lead on the ongoing case.
“This is an ongoing matter so no specific details can be shared at this time,” said Andrea Aprea, public affairs specialist for the FBI Tampa Division.
Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, has served U.S. Congress since 2007 and sits on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is also the co-chair of the Florida congressional delegation.
