A Lynchburg man is being held without bond at Blue Ridge Regional Jail after making bomb threats to a number of locations including Liberty University.
Laurence James Murphy IV, 36, has been charged with threat to bomb (three counts) and attempted robbery.
According to the Lynchburg Police Department, officers were called to the Mission House Coffee on Cornerstone Street at 4:21 p.m. after a man entered the shop, dropped a package on the floor and told customers it was a bomb.
Murphy had made similar threats at Hill City Pharmacy and Liberty University, according to police.
Officers located Murphy at a restaurant nearby and took him into custody without incident.
The Virginia State Police and Liberty University Police assisted in the response to the alleged bomb inside the coffee shop. Roads were temporarily closed to restrict traffic and people in the immediate area. Adjacent businesses were also asked to evacuate during the course of the investigation.
There is no information as to if Liberty University was shut down as a result of the threats. Students returned to campus this week.
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Crystal Graham
