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JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
Police in Jefferson City are still trying to determine what led a woman to phone in a report of a hostage situation in a state office building Tuesday afternoon. 155 people were evacuated from the Governor Office building near the Capitol. Several blocks around he building were also blocked off and locked down for four hours. It began about 10am when the report came in to police through that alarm company. When officers arrived on the scene, they say the P.A. system inside was warning of a hostage situation and telling people to stay in their offices. The information proved false, but officers aren't sure what prompted the report.
"We have every reason to believe that people in the building acted, thought this was an actual hostage situation," Jefferson City Police Captain Michael Smith says, "but we're trying to determine exactly where the report came from."
Soon police were sweeping the building room by room, evacuating workers and looking for any signs of trouble.
"Had a gentleman open the back door of our office," Mike Parnell said of his first floor location, "and the next thing we know we're under watch with guns and orders to evacuate."
The story was the same in the ninth floor offices of the Public Service Commission.
"A police officer in SWAT gear entered my office and asked me to evacuate," Mark Hughes told us. "I asked him if I could take my bag. He said fine and moved us down the hall."
For four hours workers hung around in downtown restaurants and onlookers watched heavily armed police come in and out of the building.
The all clear was sounded about 2:30 in the afternoon. Police say they're still investigating as to whether the call might have been a mistake, or even the result of a hoax.
Governor Jay Nixon was in a meeting in Texas when the trouble broke out. He rushed back to Jefferson City only to find out the whole thing was a false alarm.
Lt. Governor Kinder is updating his Twitter account with the latest updates.Follow Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder on Twitter for Updates
"We have every reason to believe that people in the building acted, thought this was an actual hostage situation," Jefferson City Police Captain Michael Smith says, "but we're trying to determine exactly where the report came from."
Soon police were sweeping the building room by room, evacuating workers and looking for any signs of trouble.
"Had a gentleman open the back door of our office," Mike Parnell said of his first floor location, "and the next thing we know we're under watch with guns and orders to evacuate."
The story was the same in the ninth floor offices of the Public Service Commission.
"A police officer in SWAT gear entered my office and asked me to evacuate," Mark Hughes told us. "I asked him if I could take my bag. He said fine and moved us down the hall."
For four hours workers hung around in downtown restaurants and onlookers watched heavily armed police come in and out of the building.
The all clear was sounded about 2:30 in the afternoon. Police say they're still investigating as to whether the call might have been a mistake, or even the result of a hoax.
Governor Jay Nixon was in a meeting in Texas when the trouble broke out. He rushed back to Jefferson City only to find out the whole thing was a false alarm.
Lt. Governor Kinder is updating his Twitter account with the latest updates.Follow Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder on Twitter for Updates
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