Bomb Threat At FBI's Seattle Headquarters, 1 Arrested

SEATTLE — One man has been arrested after a bomb scare outside the FBI's Seattle headquarters Saturday.

Despite the threat, officers say there was no bomb, and that the public was never in danger. They also say that it appears the bomb threat was the act of a lone individual, and likely unrelated to current political tensions.

According to police, the incident started as a vehicle fire. Around 1:14 p.m. SPD says they got a call of a car with a tire on fire, parked in the 300 block of Spring Street, just outside the FBI's Seattle Division.

However, when officers contacted the driver of the car, he told them he had intentionally set his car on fire to get their attention, and that there was a live bomb inside the vehicle.

The man was then taken into custody and SPD's Arson and Bomb Squad was called in to investigate the car. During police response, nearby stretches of Third and Fourth Avenues were closed for several hours.

However, despite an extensive search, no bomb was found and police say: there never was one.

"We're just happy to report there's no threat to the city of the citizens of Seattle," said Earl Camp, the FBI's acting special agent in charge.

Police say they have been especially alert, considering the current political climate.

"Right now, we know the tensions are high nationwide," said Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz. "We are making sure we are paying all of our diligence, and making sure these are investigated seriously."

The threat outside FBI headquarters comes as Capitol Campus in Olympia braces for potential political unrest. In the week following the pro-Trump mob's assault on the nation's Capitol in D.C., the FBI has been warning of potential violence at all state capitols leading up to the inauguration. However, police say they believe this was an isolated incident.

"Inauguration day is on Wednesday, so we are making sure we are paying attention to every little threat that might end up occurring, but right now Seattle, we believe, is safe," Diaz said.

Diaz says the suspect, a 34-year-old man, is likely to make his first appearance in court by the end of the weekend.