Following hours of security sweeps in response to an anonymous complaint, several law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, found no evidence of an ongoing threat at the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, the Clay County Sheriff’s Department reported on July 19.
According to a Clay County Sheriff’s Department press release, “The incident started around 5:20 p.m. July 18 when a phone call came into Ford’s safety and risk management team. A man on the phone claimed to be carrying a revolver, a rifle, and explosives. He claimed to be trapped in the plant’s second-floor bathroom in the paint section.”
The news release noted Ford stopped all production, evacuated the facility, and canceled the night shift. An estimated 2,500 workers were evacuated, and the public was urged to stay away from the area.
The agency said, “The caller identified himself as an employee and expressed his displeasure. He mentioned a name that does not belong to a real paint department employee. He did mention his boss, and it was the right name. Since then, we have been unable to get in touch with him. We rang his phone and believed the number he gave may be a fake.”
The updates:
The Clay County Sheriff’s Department provided updates on Twitter as events unfolded:
- 9:49 p.m.: “We are investigating a possible threat at the Ford plant in Claycomo. The plant has been shut down and evacuated.”
- 11:11 p.m.: “Our Special Tactics and Response (STAR) Team was unable to locate anyone on their initial search of the area where the suspect said he was located. Additional tactical teams from around the area are joining to help us search & clear the rest of the factory.”
- 1:14 a.m.: “The search of the factory is ongoing. Thank you to all the agencies assisting” — Kansas City Police, Gladstone Police, North Kansas City Police, Liberty Police, Claycomo Police, Platte County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Police, and the Kansas City FBI.
- 3:31 a.m.: “We and our partner agencies have finished searching the Ford plant. We did not locate anyone inside and determined that the threat was not credible. Investigation into the source of the threats is ongoing.
- 3:35 a.m.: “69 Highway near the factory will be reopening shortly … Additional thank you’s to Pleasant Valley PD for traffic help and Claycomo Fire Dept.
