Shreveport Police Department

www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: Oct. 18, 2001

Contact: Kacee Hargrave, Public Information Officer

Man arrested for Terrorizing

Shreveport Police Department today proved that they will crack down on anyone responsible for an anthrax hoax in the City of Shreveport.

Detectives arrested Ed Hebert, 43, of the 700 block of Prospect Street for one count of terrorizing.

Hebert was arrested about 4:30 p.m. after being questioned at the police department in connection with an incident that occurred Wednesday at the Transcontinental Tower, located downtown at 330 Marshall Street.

He is accused of writing a note after someone apparently turned off the lights while he was in the restroom. The note indicated that anthrax wasn’t the only thing those responsible for turning off the light would need to worry about if it happened again. The note was written in print on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of white paper.

An investigation is continuing into whether he is responsible for leaving a powdery substance near an elevator door on the seventh floor. The seventh floor of the building was briefly evacuated because of the powder.

Police Chief Jim Roberts said the Shreveport Police Department will not tolerate anyone playing games or committing pranks.

"Today’s arrest proves that such hoaxes will not be tolerated, and that the perpetrator will be punished to the fullest extent of the law," Roberts said.

Terrorizing is the intentional communication of false information that indicates a crime is imminent or in progress, thereby causing any person to be in fear for their safety. It is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine.

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