POSTED: 12:17 pm EDT August 4, 2004
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Riverplace Tower at 1301 Riverplace Boulevard on the Southbank was evacuated after police received a telephone threat just before noon.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Ken Jefferson said they are responding to unconfirmed information from a telephone call that that there may be "a device" on the 13th floor of the tower. He also told Channel 4 crews on scene that there was a report of a man with a gun holding a hostage.
Channel 4's Live Coverage
None of this information is confirmed.
A manager with Southtrust bank told Channel 4's Bruce Hamilton that all employees were asked to leave "as quickly as possible."
Several hundred, including children from a day-care center, have left the building 28-story building. Jefferson said the children were taken to a shaded area on about two blocks away.
The SWAT team and bomb squad has entered the building and is sweeping every floor. Police have diverted traffic from Riverplace Boulevard from in front of the building and police asked the media to back up from the area.
Construction workers at an adjoining work site were also asked to leave.
Channel 4's Scott Johnson said everyone coming out of the building was confused about why they were leaving but were calm. He said that as the children were leaving, they passed heavily armed SWAT team members headed toward the building.