Tom GantertOrlando, FL – A man threatened to blow up the Orlando Police Department on March 24 because the coronavirus was putting people out of work.
Justin Black, 28, called 911 at about 7:15 p.m. and said he had four bombs, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
“I’m going to blow up the Orlando Police Department, I’m going to blow up the 7-Eleven, I’m going to blow up… there was a carwash,” the caller said, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The bomb threat was made about two hours after Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced a county-wide stay-at-home order.
The caller would not give his name or his location to the dispatcher, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
He said, “When you hear explosions, just know I warned ya’ll first.”
“Just know, that Coronavirus, y’all want to put people out of work… yeah… I’m gonna put some people out of work,” the caller said, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “Have a good night.”
Police were able to trace the phone call to a post office that was across the street from the Orlando police headquarters.
Orlando Police Department Officer Jerry Pergerson spotted Black leaning against a bus stop sign. Black was the only person in the area and was talking on a cell phone, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
At that time, a second call came into 911.
The Orlando Sentinel reported the same caller said, “I got a bomb right here, I’m about to blow up Orlando,” adding he was “just letting you [know] the Orlando Police Department is going to get blown up right now. … I give it like thirty minutes. … All I got to do is push this button.”
Officer Pergerson stopped Black and believed he was carrying a black canister of pepper spray with a red button cap as some type of detonation device for bombs.
Black was taken into custody and then kicked the inside of the patrol vehicle’s door and shouted threats and profanities, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Black was charged with false report of a bombing and unlawful use of a two-way communication device, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
There were no explosives on Black when he was arrested, according to police. He is behind held in jail with bail set at $2,800.