A false bomb threat brought to a halt Micron Technology's 24-hour manufacturing complex in Boise.
At 9:08 a.m. Wednesday, a man told a 911 dispatcher that a bomb would explode at the electronics plant within 2 1/2 hours.By 11 a.m., between 1,000 and 2,000 construction workers, office staff and production employees had been evacuated from three buildings, Micron spokeswoman Julie Nash said.
By noon, authorities confirmed it was a false alarm and employees headed back to work.
Police later arrested Kirk R. Dukes, 27, of Meridian. Dukes is charged with a felony count of making a false report of explosives in a public or private place. If convicted, he could serve up to five years in prison.
"It's fine now," Nash said. "But considering that Micron runs that operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to shut them down would be a major interruption."
In the week following the Oklahoma bombing, local authorities have received six bomb threats, Ada County Sheriff's Capt. Roy Holloway said.
"Each time a bomb threat is received, law enforcement officers - at taxpayers' expense - must expend many hours investigating the report to ensure the safety of the public," Holloway said.