A bomb threat was called into the Manitowoc Sheriff’s Department, the same establishment that was at the center of Netflix’s “Making a Murderer.”
Authorities say that the caller claimed “there were bombs in the building” and that he was “getting justice” for Steven Avery, the man at the forefront of the series, who was convicted of the murder of Teresa Halbach after being exonerated for a rape he didn’t commit.
According to the official statement obtained by TheWrap, a male caller made the threat at 6:30 p.m. CT Wednesday. The caller also said there was a vehicle in the parking lot “packed with explosives.”
Manitowoc Police Officers set up a perimeter around the area, and the Brown County Sheriff’s Department’s Bomb Squad was put on standby. A bomb sniffing dog was used to clear the area, but no devices were found.
The area was deemed clear at 9 p.m., but 20 minutes later, a second call was placed with the same threat. No suspicious activity or items were located in the second round, either.
Manitowoc law enforcement and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation are currently working together to backtrack the call to determine the origin and identity of the caller.
“Making a Murderer” explores the case of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man who was imprisoned for sexual assault for 18 years before being exonerated on DNA evidence and released — only to be charged and convicted for the murder of a young woman three years later. Kratz successfully prosecuted Avery for the rape and murder of photographer Teresa Halbach, the crime for which Avery is now serving a life sentence.
Since its premiere on Dec. 18, the series has strongly suggested that Avery was framed for the crime by Wisconsin law enforcement.