(KBHB – Sturgis, SD) Law enforcement officers remain on scene at Monument Health in Rapid City as local, state, and federal agencies investigate a bomb threat that appears to be part of a broader national trend of hoax calls targeting medical facilities.
Explosives-detection resources, including specialized units from Ellsworth Air Force Base and the South Dakota Highway Patrol, were deployed to search public areas and entrances throughout the hospital complex. Police reported that as of late Thursday morning, no evidence or suspicious items have been located to substantiate the threat.
Hospital operations were not interrupted by the response, and Police spokesman Brendan Medina confirmed the facility did not go into a formal lockdown.
Medina said officers initiated visual sweeps of all public areas before bringing in explosives-detection assets to verify the facility’s safety.
Medina says investigators noted that the nature of the call mirrors a recent surge of fraudulent threats made to healthcare centers in Minneapolis and across the country.
The Rapid City Police Department is coordinating its investigation alongside the Division of Criminal Investigation and federal authorities to identify the individual or group responsible. Police emphasized that those behind the threat will be held accountable.
Medina expressed gratitude for the prompt multi-agency response and the close coordination with hospital leadership during the event.
