Man arrested for making bomb threat that prompted evacuation of AXA Towers

George H. Glahn was arrested at the Motel 6 on Baptist Way in DeWitt following an investigation that involved the Syracuse and DeWitt police departments. Glahn is charged with falsely reporting an incident in the first degree, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. He is at the Onondaga County Justice Center, Syracuse Police reported in a release.

Syracuse Police said that around 11:30 a.m. an employee on the fourth floor of AXA Tower 1 received a phone call from a man indicating he had placed a bomb in the building.

The employee called 911 and building management cleared the building as a precaution.

Syracuse Police K-9s, assisted by Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit and a K-9 unit from Oneida County, checked the building for explosives and found none.

The building was reopened shortly after 1 p.m.

The evacuation brought hundreds of workers outside, under a warm late-spring sun. They could be seen on sidewalks and parks around AXA Towers and hundreds made the one-block walk to the grounds of the Everson Museum of Art. They stood around talking with each other or on cell phones. Some worked away on their cell phones. Others stood, arms crossed, obviously eager to get back to the office. A few took the opportunity to line up at the hotdog cart on Warren Street.

As they filed back into the building, some stopped to pet a police dog before proceeding back to work. As the dogs and their handlers headed back to their police vehicles, several workers shouted their thanks.

Contact McChesney at cmcchesney@cnybj.com

Photo credit on AXA Tower/ downtown Syracuse photo: Charles McChesney/ BJNN