KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A man accused of walking into the WWMT television station in Kalamazoo and saying he had a bomb has been charged with two felonies.
Brandon Bazzi was arraigned Friday on charges of false report or threat of terrorism and false report or threat of a bomb. The terrorism charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and the bomb charge by up to four years.
Police say Bazzi, 36, of Greenville, went into the WWMT building on Maple Street near S. Westnedge Avenue Thursday afternoon and said he had a bomb in his backpack and wanted to die. The station’s chief engineer bolted him into the lobby. Employees evacuated. Bazzi did not actually have any explosives, police say. Police negotiated with Bazzi for nearly two hours, at which point he gave up peacefully.
No one was harmed.