Black Hawk County Courthouse Target Of Bomb Threat

WATERLOO – Employees were cleared from the Black Hawk County Courthouse in Waterloo Friday because someone called in a bomb threat.

Chief Deputy Mark Herbst said the order to evacuate was given around 9 AM, when local authorities learned about the threat from officials in a neighboring county.

Sheriff’s deputies found no evidence of a bomb after searching the four-story building and basement for more than three hours. According to Herbst, a State Fire Marshal K-9 and a Waterloo police K-9 were both used in the search.

Waterloo police and Waterloo Fire Rescue units remained on stand-by outside the Courthouse for the duration of the search, which ended around noon.

The Black Hawk County Courthouse has been closed to the public since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Employees returned to the building this week.

The building is scheduled to reopen to the public Monday, by appointment only.