PHOENIX — A suspect has been taken into custody after claiming to have a bomb on the ground of the Arizona State Capitol Friday morning.
Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said a trooper was called to the area around 10:50 a.m. after reports of a suspicious person.
When he arrived, he found the suspect on the crosswalk between Wesley Bolin Park and the Capitol Plaza, and the suspect indicated he had a bomb in his bag.
The man, later identified as 24-year-old Pierre Rennie, was arrested and the DPS Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit was called to the scene.
Court paperwork obtained by ABC15 shows that Rennie told police an explosive device was in his backpack.
When asked by police what was in the bag, Rennie replied, "Go ahead and kick it, I dare you."
Crews determined the package did not contain an explosive, and cleared the scene around 12 p.m.
Graves said Rennie was booked into the 4th Avenue Jail, and is facing felony charges of making a terror threat and misconduct involving simulated explosives.
