NORRISTOWN — A threatening phone call forced the temporary closure of Montgomery County Republican Committee headquarters over the weekend.
A Montgomery County Republican Committee staff member received a call around 11:07 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, according to a Pennsylvania GOP spokesperson, who categorized the phone call as an “angry, profanity-laced bomb threat” in a statement released Saturday evening.
Police officers were dispatched from the Whitpain Township Police Department around 11:18 a.m. to the headquarters at 860 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike in Blue Bell.
“A person called the office and while talking to a call taker the person threatened to ‘shoot up the building’ or ‘bomb it,’” police said in a statement.
No suspects have been identified or arrested. The incident remains under an active investigation, according to Whitpain Township Police Department Sgt. Jon Gallagher.
The office was only closed Saturday, and has since reopened, Montgomery County Republican Committee Chairman Christian Nascimento said on Monday.
“I’m disappointed that our politics have come to this. People ought to be able to work for their candidates without threat of violence,” Nascimento said.
Man arrested for threats, shots fired into Montgomery County Democratic Party office
Concerns over election-related violence come three years after a Worcester man was prosecuted for firing shots into a Montgomery County Democratic Committee headquarters in Norristown. No injuries were reported as the building was unoccupied at the time of the January 2021 incident. The committee later relocated to another building in the county seat.
County officials gathered in September to discuss security preparations ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office has established an election-related tip line at 610-292-2024 where people can report instances of “suspicious activity, irregularities or threats.” Area residents can also call the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety Communications Center at 610-275-1222 or email [email protected]. Other established hotlines include 1-877-868-3772 at the state level.
Locally, District Attorney Kevin Steele cautioned any bad actors from causing chaos “leading up to the election and through its conclusion” during the September press conference focusing on election security.
“If you’re thinking about doing that, don’t do it here. We’re ready for you,” Steele said last month, noting the joint partnerships between the district attorney’s office, detective bureau and law enforcement agencies across the county.
The Montgomery County Detective Bureau also created a threat assessment management unit tasked with investigating threats against public officials, schools, houses of worship, election offices, and public property. It’s made up of a lieutenant, an analyst, seven detectives, with additional support from the agency, Steele said.
“Threats regarding the election will be taken very, very seriously,” Steele said, noting that “we’re not going to tolerate any abuse of public officials, threats to election officers or abuse of anyone helping out at our drop boxes, period.”
