A juvenile is in custody after a bomb threat temporarily shut down operations Friday morning at Hutchinson Regional Airport.
According to the Hutchinson Police Department, officers were dispatched to the airport at 8:16 a.m. on Friday morning after staff reported receiving a threatening voicemail late the previous night. The caller claimed a bomb had been placed on an airplane at the airport. Investigators said the voice appeared to belong to a juvenile male.
Airport officials immediately locked down the facility and restricted both incoming and outgoing flights. Police, along with supporting agencies, conducted a comprehensive sweep of all aircraft and airport facilities. By 10:00 a.m., authorities declared the scene all clear, finding no evidence of explosives or credible threats.
Investigators were later able to identify a possible suspect, and with help from the Wichita Police Department, made contact with the juvenile and his parents in Wichita. Hutchinson officers took the suspect into custody and transported him to the Reno County Youth Shelter.
No devices were found, but police have referred charges of aggravated criminal threat to the Reno County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities emphasized that the suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.