BERLIN — An unidentified male suspect is in custody on Wednesday afternoon after walking into a Worcester County Health Department facility in Berlin with a backpack allegedly containing an explosive and threatening to cause harm to all in the area.
Shortly after 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the unidentified suspect entered the lobby of the Worcester County Health Department office in Berlin for an appointment. The county health department facility is located on Healthway Drive in a larger area that includes Atlantic General Hospital, the Barrett Medical Building, the Berlin Nursing Home and other health-related facilities.
According to Berlin Police, the suspect told reception area employees he had a bomb in the backpack and stated he intended to harm everyone in the area. The Worcester County Health Department initiated its protocols for an incident of this sort and contacted the Berlin Police Department.
Berlin Police responded and located the suspect, taking him into custody without further incident. The suspect was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury for a mental evaluation. His identity is not being released at this time because of his patient status.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office K-9 explosive-sniffing units responded to the scene, as did the Ocean City Bomb Squad. A scan of the backpack and the immediate surrounding areas revealed no evidence of any explosive devices. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
