Bomb threat forces authorities to evacuate Kansas City courthouse; no explosives found

Bomb threat closes Kansas City federal courthouse

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Authorities say the federal courthouse in Kansas City is reopening after a suspicious package flagged as explosive was found to contain nothing but phone books.

The courthouse was evacuated and employees were sent home Monday morning after a package was found near an entrance for prisoners. A note on the package said the contents would explode.

Mauri Sheer, the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Missouri, says bomb and arson detectives investigated the package that contained only phone books.

Sheer says the courthouse will reopen this afternoon.

He says no one has claimed responsibility for the bomb threat and that authorities have no suspects.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI will investigate.