Police investigate shooting threat from caller that locked down the Maryland State House

A person threatened to shoot up the Maryland State House on Thursday afternoon, prompting scores of law enforcement to lock down and sweep legislative buildings.

Officials declared the situation safe around 7 p.m., with no injuries reported, about two hours after a caller dialed the main line of the Annapolis Police Department and “said something about coming in and shooting up the place,” Chief Ed Jackson told The Baltimore Sun.

“The caller,” Jackson added, “didn’t stay on the line, didn’t say where he came from … didn’t represent any organization. He just called and said he was going to shoot up the place and hung up.”

Jackson said police would continue to investigate the source of the threat, which sent the lawmakers, staffers, reporters and civilians into lockdown as officers from several agencies swept the State House, the House and Senate buildings and Government House, the home of Democratic Gov. Wes Moore.

“We want to thank all the law enforcement officers who responded today,” Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, both Democrats, said in a statement once the emergency was over. “We and everyone else in the legislative complex are grateful for their presence as we continue to do the people’s work.”

Moore thanked law enforcement, as well, in a statement.

“Our family is grateful for the members of the Maryland Capitol Police, Maryland State Police, Annapolis Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department who secured the State House Grounds and kept us safe today,” Moore said, via spokesman Carter Elliott. “These brave men and women aren’t just Maryland’s finest — they’re Maryland’s promise. They define what it means to be a Marylander.”

Legislators were busy with bill hearings when the threat emerged, but several of those chairing committee meetings in legislative office buildings handled the emergency calmly.

Del. C.T. Wilson, chair of the House Economic Matters Committee, suddenly addressed those attending a hearing about a gas station pricing bill around 5:30 p.m.

“Can you guys do me a favor? That’s going to conclude that panel,” said Wilson, a Democrat. “It’s all right, everything’s fine. We’re just going to keep going. Just chill in the back and I’ll come get you in a second, all right? Don’t leave until I get confirmation.”

Around the same time in another hearing room, Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk, chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee, asked delegates and witnesses to stay inside the room.

“Can I just ask, if I may, the delegates and people here, can you stay in the building, please and do not go out, please?” Peña-Melnyk, also a Democrat, said. “Please just stay in the room. If you could do that I would really appreciate it. Just stay in place. Excuse me, the witnesses that just testified, I will ask you respectfully to stay in the room for a while. Please don’t leave until I tell you so.”

Officers could be seen running into the building holding rifles. With their guns drawn, officers evacuated reporters working at the State House around 5:30 p.m. Officers later shepherded them to the House Office Building.

In a phone interview around 5:41 p.m., Democratic Del. Sandy Bartlett of Anne Arundel County said she was staying in place and “waiting for the green light.”

Democratic Sen. Cory McCray of Baltimore said in a text message that he and his staff were “all good” and in the Senate office building as the lockdown continued.

Sen. Antonio Hayes, a Baltimore Democrat, serves on the Senate Finance Committee. He said his committee “proceeded to do business” and went on lockdown after it completed a voting session.

There are 23 state-owned buildings in Annapolis, including those in the State House complex. It includes the capitol, the office buildings and the home of the governor.

In addition to elected officials and state employees, the State House sees hundreds of visitors a day, especially during the 90-day legislative session from January to early April. They range from citizens to lobbyists, advocates to schoolchildren on field trips — and Thursday was no different.

After receiving the threat, Annapolis Police promptly notified Capitol Police, state police, Anne Arundel County Police and security at the different legislative buildings, said Nick Cavey, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of General Services, which encompasses the capitol police.

“Capitol Police coordinated sweeps of the State House, Senate and House buildings and surrounding grounds, according to protocol, and determined that the areas are secure and clear of any potential threat,” Cavey said in an email. “The lockdown and shelter in place was lifted at 6:52 p.m. and all remaining occupants, including the governor, lieutenant governor, and Senate president, were escorted from the building, per situational protocol.”

It is a crime in Maryland punishable by up to 10 years in prison to make a threat of mass violence, which state law defines as “knowingly threaten to commit or threaten to cause to be committed a crime of violence … that would place five or more people at substantial risk of death or serious physical injury.”

Law enforcement will continue to investigate the source of the threat, Jackson told The Sun.

“We have the number and we’re trying to trace the call,” he said.

Baltimore Sun Media reporters Hannah Gaskill, Sam Janesch, Cassidy Jensen, Natalie Jones and Luke Parker contributed to this article.