Updated at 11:00 - Courthouse is Being Evacuated - Courthouse now reopened, pictures added

John S Keppy

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Posted by: JSKeppy
Date: Jul 23 2010 9:09 AM

The Houston County Courthouse is being evacuated due to the finding of a suspicious package.

Houston County Deputies are staging on scene and the bomb squad has been notified.

Updated at 10:16am: At approximately 8:30am, the Houston County Sheriff's Office received a phone call stating that an explosive device was in the courthouse. The courthouse was immediately evacuated and the streets within a two block radius have been closed.

Homeland Security and the Dothan PD bomb squad are on the scene. Bomb technicians have entered the building to conduct a search.

Authorities are exploring the possibility that the bomb threat may be related to an armed robbery that occurred 15 minutes later at Approved Cash Advance located on the Ross Clark Circle.

Update:

Dothan Police Bomb Detection Dog has cleared floors 1-3 and is currently clear the fourth floor and then the basement. One the all clear has been given then the Court House will reopen and the streets will also be reopened.

Update at 11:00 - Houston County deputies have been released from the scene to return to routine patrol. The courthouse has now been re-opened.

Photos by: Matt Boster

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