Detectives believe bomb threats were diversion for bank robbery

Lake City bomb threats were diversion for bank robbery

UPDATED JUNE 18

LAKE CITY, FL - Columbia County Sheriff’s detectives continue to believe bomb threats at City Hall and the County Courthouse may have been a diversion for a bank robbery early Monday morning.

At 8:13 am June 16, a 911 call was received stating there were bombs at City Hall and at the Columbia County Courthouse. As deputies were responding to that call, a call came in reporting an armed robbery at the Columbia Bank at US Highway 90 and Turner Road.

The first customer inside the bank that morning handed a teller a note that demanded money. Thirteen minutes prior, a caller told a 911 operator bombs had been placed in the Columbia County Courthouse and at City Hall.

No one was injured in the bank robbery but the suspect – described as a white male about 6 feet tall - ran into the woods behind the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.

"This is too much of a coincidence," said Sheriff Bill Gootee. "We believe the bomb threats were a diversion for the bank robbery. We are treating them as related."

Canine units from Baker County Correctional Institute traced the suspect’s scent to a wooded area north of the bank. Physical evidence located at the scene was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s forensics lab for processing. The money taken from the bank was also recovered from the wooded area and returned to the bank.

The bomb threat was traced to a pay telephone at a convenience store at US Highway 90 and Pinemount Road. "We were able to pull some video from the convenience store the bomb threats were made from and extract this photo of the suspect," said Sheriff Gootee. "Detectives Todd Lussier and J.T. Williams are making good progress in this case."

About 150 people – mainly employees and visitors – were evacuated from City Hall and the Courthouse. Some left the area, but most milled around in Olustee Park for just over an hour before the buildings were cleared.

"We asked supervisors from each department to walk through with our deputies to ensure there was nothing suspicious," said Sheriff Bill Gootee of the Courthouse. "We had mutual aid on standby, but we did not find anything suspicious.

A full description of the suspect is a white male, late 20’s to early 30’s, 6 feet tall with a medium build. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, brown shoes and a navy hooded sweatshirt. He was also wearing women’s designer sunglasses on his head.

"I believe we will have more success on this case as we continue to follow up on leads," said Sheriff Gootee. "I encourage anyone with information on these crimes to call Crime Stoppers of Columbia County at 754-7099. You will remain anonymous and you may be eligible for a cash reward."