Michigan State Capitol received bomb threat, forced to evacuate

The Michigan State Capitol was closed for about two hours Thursday following an evacuation as a result of a bomb threat, according to the Detroit Free Press.

A man called the capitol early Thursday morning to make the threat, the Detroit Free Press reported. The building was pronounced safe at around 9 a.m., and lawmakers and staff were allowed to return, police reported.

Police officers were sent to investigate and secure the building after they closed it to lawmakers and staff in order to ensure there were no bombs present.

Due to COVID-19 and the legislature not being in session, the capitol building was already closed off to the public. 

"Every effort will be made to identify the person who made this threat and prosecute them to the fullest extent the law will allow," the Michigan State Police said in a statement.

The bomb threat occurred less than 24 hours after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. following a rally aimed to "stop the steal" of the presidential election. One rioter was shot by police and was later prenounced dead.

About 300 demonstrators gathered outside the Michigan State Capitol Wednesday in protest of the certification of the national electoral vote count in Congress.

The violent intrusion at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday delayed the certification of the presidential election result. Congress later announced that all electoral votes had been counted, certifying Joe Biden as the next president.