Police investigate bomb threat at west Columbia daycare center

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A bomb threat closed a west Columbia street and led to an evacuation of a daycare center just after noon on Tuesday.

Christian Tabak, public information specialist with Columbia police, reported that police got an initial call about a bomb threat at 12:20 p.m. at the KinderCare daycare center on the 2400 block of Ash Street.

Police evacuated the daycare and took the children and teachers to Broadway Christian Church.

A bomb squad and a bomb-sniffing dog from the University of Missouri Police Department were called in to help, Tabac said.

Tabak says the building was cleared and children were brought back into the daycare just before 2 p.m. Some parents chose to pick up their students while others

At least a half-dozen police cruisers were at the scene.

Police reopened Ash Street at about 1:30 p.m.

"I'm glad they did that. So that makes me feel a whole lot better that they didn't waste their time, and got right on top of it. So, I'm just hoping that it doesn't happen to them anymore," said Keith Hill, who has two kids that attend the daycare.

Hill says he is pleased with the way both the school and the first responders handled the situation.

The fire department told ABC 17 that they originally responded to a fire alarm, but were unable to answer why or how this turned into a bomb threat.

Police say the investigation is ongoing into the threat and there no danger to the community at this time.