GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.- Grand Rapids Police are warning about a hoax email being sent out to businesses and other organizations locally and across the county of a bomb threat making demands for money.
The department wrote on twitter that emails began locally around 1 p.m. and that people should not send money. Police said the emails don't have any validity and that you should delete them and not send the money if you receive them. Many of the emails make demands for bitcoin.
The locations the Grand Rapids Police Department responded to are University Prep Academy, Bucher Hydrolic, Palio Grand Rapids and Mary Freebed Hospital.
A spokesperson for Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital says the hospital did receive an email bomb threat and it is linked to the nationwide series of email threats. Mary Free Bed implemented it's bomb threat protocol and checked the hospital before determining the threat was a hoax. The hospital did not evacuate or go on lockdown. Grand Rapids Police worked with Mary Free Bed to help determine the connection with the nationwide threats. This threat was reported to the FBI and state of Michigan cyber security investigators.
Because of the connection between Mary Free Bed and Mercy Health Saint Mary's Hospital, a Saint Mary's spokesperson says the hospital did also activate an incident command. An all clear has been issued for both Saint May's and Mary Free Bed.
Police said multiple bomb threats are being reported all over the country and the FBI is responding to the reports.
“We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety," it said in a statement.
The bomb threats came in the form of a circulating email that demanded Bitcoin payments or wired money transfers.
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