Angry Man Threatens To Blow Up Courthouse

A man threatened to blow up the Spokane County Courthouse as he paid his taxes Thursday morning at the treasurer’s office.

It was the first time the office had received a bomb threat, Spokane County Treasurer Linda Wolverton said.

“I’m certain that this is related to Oklahoma City,” she said. “He said if his taxes got raised one more time he’d blow this building up, too.”

Wolverton said the man did pay a tax bill of about $1,300. She contacted police and turned over his name. The man also was captured on a surveillance video.

“This guy was just an ornery guy,” Wolverton said. “He seemed just like he was spouting off. But you can’t tell.”

No one ever enjoys paying taxes, she said, but the angry threats only began two years ago. So far this year, the office has received three threats, including the bomb threat.

“It makes us very nervous,” she said. “It just seems to be that everything that is wrong is the government’s fault.”