Police respond to suspicious backpack in Newport in latest false bomb threat

By Michael Cusanelli

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    NEWPORT, Vermont (WPTZ) — A government office building was evacuated on Wednesday after police received a call about a suspicious backpack left inside.

Newport police said they received a report about the backpack, which reportedly had a “device” inside, at the Community College of Vermont. The college is located inside the Emory Hebard State Office Building on Main Street.

Police determined that the call was a hoax and did not find any suspicious item inside the building. However, out of caution, the building was evacuated for about half an hour during the investigation.

Officials said the call was similar to several other “swatting” calls throughout Vermont and New Hampshire this week.

On Wednesday, police received multiple reports of explosive devices and suspicious items at college and university campuses across the state, including one at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. All of the reports were unfounded.

On Tuesday, 10 colleges and universities in New Hampshire also received false bomb threats that officials believe possibly came from an overseas caller using a spoofed phone number.

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