DeKalb Courthouse Evacuation Caused By Jail Inmate: Sheriff

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A DeKalb County Jail inmate was behind the threat of an explosive device and subsequent emergency evacuation of the DeKalb County Courthouse on Thursday, the DeKalb Sheriff's Office said.

The incident shut down court business and several nearby roads for hours.

According to a news release from the sheriff's office, 47-year-old Joseph Michael Caquette of Atlanta is the suspect in the explosives threat. He was already in custody at the DeKalb County Jail on a separate felony charge, and already was being held without bond.

Caquette now faces additional misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and acts in connection with the courthouse incident, the release said. He somehow made the report from inside the jail, according to sheriff's officials.

Patch has reached out for more information about how he made the call.

Police received a report of a possible explosive device inside the DeKalb courthouse Thursday morning. Multiple law enforcement agencies immediately evacuated everyone inside and began searching the building.

Police also shut down West Trinity Place in Decatur and other surrounding roads for about two hours while the search and evacuations took place.

No devices were found.

The search involved about 60 law enforcement personnel from the Decatur Police Department, the DeKalb County Police Department and DeKalb Police K9 units, the Marshal's Office, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Police officers and Homeland Security agents.

“Not only did this individual commit an additional offense while already in custody, but he wasted valuable local law enforcement resources with his threat to life and property in our community,” Sheriff Melody Maddox said.

Related: No Explosives Found At DeKalb County Courthouse After Evacuation