Crime & Courts

Atwood Building on brief 'lockdown' as police investigate threats

An Anchorage man's vague threats caused security officials to put the Robert B. Atwood building and the dozens of state offices inside on lockdown for about 30 minutes Friday afternoon.

Police spokeswoman Dani Myren said the man, whom she did not name, was upset about some "bad news" he received Friday. The man's wife called police to conduct a welfare check on the distraught man at a home in the 4600 block of Juneau Street, Myren said. The wife, who was not at the home, told police about 4 p.m. the man made threats to the state Child Support Services Division, which is inside the Atwood Building, the police spokeswoman said.

Myren said she did not know the specific nature of the threats or what the building's security staff did to lock down the building.

"It was enough that they determined it was better to be safe than sorry and to go ahead and lock down," Myren said.

Police officers contacted the man about 4:30 p.m. and determined he was not a threat to the building or its occupants, Myren said. Officers took the man into custody, but it was unclear late Friday if he would face charges, she said. The lockdown was lifted shortly thereafter, Myren said.

Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.

By CASEY GROVE

casey.grove@adn.com

Casey Grove

Casey Grove is a former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. He left the ADN in 2014.

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