Man Charged After Bomb Threat Made to Former Employer

A man was arrested Tuesday by Richland County Sheriff’s deputies for making a bomb threat against his former employer. 

Michael Smith, 31, was charged with making a bomb threat, according to a release from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  

Deputies and the Columbia Fire Department responded to a report of a bomb threat on Sept. 28 at The Waterford at Columbia, a senior living community located at 9370 Windsor Lake Boulevard. The Waterford at Columbia is near Alpine Road and Sesquicentennial State Park. No device was found.

Smith had been counseled for poor work performance on Sept. 27 and made threatening comments to a co-worker that same day, the release said.   

Investigators immediately identified Smith as the suspect. He was arrested without incident. 

Sheriff Leon Lott said in the release that "any threat to a citizen, business, school or community will be taken seriously and investigated."