Suspicious package at bank causes bomb squad, FBI to investigate

HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. — A potentially dangerous threat at a local bank in Henry County forces law enforcement to call in the bomb squad for help.

“There was a letter that was supposedly left with a message on it that said something about a gun was pointed on you and that there was a bomb,” said C.J. Marshall, who owns a business nearby.

The package was later determined to be “an elaborate hoax,” according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. See more on the update here.

It was a frightening situation Wednesday morning in Henry County as investigators say a female teller attempting to open a local bank discovered a note on top of a small silver box.

“Once I started looking at the box and had a close examination of it, I did see some things that were very suspicious and thought it could be a threat, possibly an explosive device,” Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew said.

Belew says he immediately cleared the scene and called in the Jackson Police Department’s bomb squad.

“At that time, they basically enacted their protocol and defused the situation, basically without a major explosion at the front of the bank,” Belew said.

The ATF, FBI and THP were also on scene. Sheriff Belew says they believe the situation may have been a botched robbery attempt.

“A lot of these components that have been disconnected will now be sent off to the lab and certain, whether it’s DNA evidence or whatever evidence, we can derive from this package,” Belew said.

There is no suspect information at this time, but officials say they’re grateful no one was injured.

“You just never know what you’re going to come across in law enforcement, and this is one of those days,” Belew said.

Investigators say they plan to look at surveillance video from the bank as well as other businesses in the area. Stay with WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News on-air and online for updates.