McCurtain Memorial Hospital in Idabel, Okla. — a community that has been under scrutiny since the release of recordings from a county meeting allegedly revealed racist and threatening statements — was evacuated April 18 due to a bomb threat.
At about 2:45 p.m., the hospital "received a call with a bomb threat, claiming that a bomb was planted at the hospital … A demand was made or else, the bomb would be detonated," according to a news release on the hospital's Facebook page.
McCurtain Memorial said law enforcement from city, county and state agencies were on site at the hospital within minutes of notification, and evacuation procedures began.
"All patients are safe and have been relocated to an offsite location which we will not be releasing at this time," the hospital added in its April 18 release.
McCurtain Memorial said the hospital will release additional details when they are available.
The bomb threat came a day after the hospital went on lockdown while protesting occurred during an emergency meeting among officials at the McCurtain County Commissioners Office in Idabel. People were protesting over a secret recording by The McCurtain Gazette-News of officials in McCurtain County. The recording featured an official talking about hanging Black people and other officials discussing hiring hit men for two reporters, the newspaper said, according to The New York Times. The alleged discussion took place after the March 6 meeting of the county board of commissioners.
The McCurtain Gazette-News argues the recording was of an illegal public meeting, and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on April 17 called on officials involved in the discussion to resign, according to The New York Times.
But the sheriff's office contended that the recording violated state law and had been "altered," according to The New York Times.
On April 18, the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association suspended McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, investigator Alicia Manning and Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix following the recent accusations, The Oklahoman reported. The officials may appeal their suspensions.
It is unclear if the bomb threat made to the hospital has any connection to the recent controversy, The Oklahoman reported.