Washington man set truck on fire, told police he had bomb by FBI building, cops say

A Washington man is accused of setting his truck on fire and falsely telling officials there was a bomb inside the burning vehicle, Seattle police said.

Seattle Fire responded to reports Saturday of a blazing car near the city’s FBI building, police said.

“Once on scene, officers contacted a man who said he had set his car on fire intentionally to get the attention of police, and that there was a bomb in his car,” the Seattle Police Department said in a news release.

Police said they secured the area and worked with FBI officials — and found no bomb in the area.

The suspect, whom police did not identify, was arrested and booked “for investigation of bomb threats,” police said.

Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz told KIRO 7 that tensions across the U.S. are at the highest they’ve ever been during his time in law enforcement.

“We’re in a very unique situation in our country today,” Diaz told KING 5. “I have never seen it, in the 24 years I’ve been on the job, to see the level of tension that it is and the divide in our country.”

This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 9:06 AM with the headline "Washington man set truck on fire, told police he had bomb by FBI building, cops say."