Leavenworth Bomb Threat Makes State News

Leavenworth residents were ordered to evacuate the downtown sector as Chelan County law enforcement try and neutralize a reported bomb threat.

Three separate bomb threats were called in on March 24, ranging around 5-6:30 p.m. The first call reported a "suspicious package" dumped in a garbage can near Rhein Haus, with the second and third calls alluding to bombs near Icicle Brewing Co. and Wok About Grill.

Chelan County Chief Adam Musgrove was one of the law enforcement officials who were called on to the scene. Washington State Patrol, Leavenworth Fire Department, and two WSP teams from Marysville, also responded to the bomb threat.

"They did not tell us that it was a bomb," Chief Musgrove states, "but they very much alluded to the fact that it was."

After hours of searching the trashcans near all three reported bomb locations, the K-9 unit confirmed it to be a false alarm.

"It sounds like the caller had an ex-girlfriend that was working in or around the Rhein Haus, and he had made comments that she had cheated on him," Chief Musgrove reports. "This was kind of the reason behind these threats, but not knowing if the threat was formidable or not, we took it very seriously."

Law enforcement is currently investigating the identity of the caller, who made be enlisting help from the FBI in order to charge him federally.

"We're not playing around with it. It's just not a game."

Residents who lived near Whitman Street, 9th Street, and Front Street were advised to evacuate or take shelter.

US-2 was blocked from 7:15 p.m. and was given reopened around 9:30-10 p.m. The blockage was set near Chumstick Highway to Icicle Road, with eastbound traffic diverted towards East Leavenworth roads and westbound using Chumstick Highway.