Canton police suspect a series of bomb threats targeting businesses and City Hall on Saturday was a hoax after investigations turned up no evidence.
A Walmart store on Tuscarawas Street West received a call alleging there were bombs inside the store. The Canton Police Department also received two calls with identical threats about the Circle K store on Mahoning Road Northeast and Canton City Hall on Cleveland Avenue Southwest.
Additionally, a threat was made against the Target store on Dressler Road Northwest in Jackson Township.
The threats resulted in widespread evacuations on Saturday and were investigated by police.
“We take these matters seriously,” said Canton police Lt. Roger Crihfield on Monday, “but it appears at this time to be a hoax.”
In one of the calls to police, the caller said “backpack bombs” had been placed around City Hall.
“They said if that didn’t work, they were going to use sawed-off 12-gauge shotguns on City Hall,” Crihfield said. “It was a very specific threat, which is unusual in cases like this.”
He said the caller was either an automated voice or was using an electronic device to alter his or her voice. Crihfield said the caller probably used Skype, an Internet-based telephone service, or a similar program to make the calls. The call was routed through computer servers across the nation and even internationally, the lieutenant said, which makes tracking the caller difficult.
A spokesperson for the FBI said agents are helping investigate because similar hoax calls were placed across the country.
Crihfield said he has a theory why Canton was targeted by the hoax: The city was featured prominently in the national news last week after Jethro, one of its K-9 police dogs, was shot and killed in the line of duty during a burglary.
“But we can only speculate about why it’s happening here,” the lieutenant said.
He said police will continue to investigate, but it might be fruitless.
“We’re doing our due diligence to track down the caller,” he said, “but it might not lead anywhere.”
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ.