Hagerstown Courthouse Evacuated

Authorities confirmed that no hazardous or suspicious devices were discovered at the Washington County Circuit Court on Monday, Feb. 2, after a reported bomb threat prompted the evacuation of the downtown Hagerstown courthouse complex.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the threat was called in shortly before 10 a.m., leading officials to clear the building at 24 Summit Ave., located at the corner of West Washington Street. As a precaution, the first block of Summit Avenue was temporarily shut down while deputies conducted a thorough search of the premises.

Sgt. Carly Hose, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said an initial security sweep found no immediate dangers. Additional resources, including the state fire marshal’s office and K-9 units trained to detect explosives, were dispatched to assist with the investigation.

With the building evacuated, court operations were suspended for the remainder of the day. Jurors were dismissed and instructed to check in for further guidance regarding Tuesday’s schedule. The courthouse is expected to resume normal operations Tuesday morning, Feb. 3.

The sheriff’s office, which provides security for the courthouse, issued public alerts through social media and its mobile app to keep residents informed as the situation unfolded.

The investigation into the source of the threat remains ongoing.