A heavy police response surrounded the Longview Kaiser Permanente Medical Office yesterday after a bomb threat.

Longview Police Captain Brandon McNew says the call came in around 4 p.m. after a man reportedly entered a downtown business near 14th Avenue and Hudson Street and claimed he had a bomb. Officers later found the suspect, 71-year-old Vern Eby of Kelso, walking through the Kaiser parking lot carrying a large package. He was detained without incident.

The bomb squad determined the package was safe and contained no explosive. The medical office sheltered in place during the investigation, disrupting operations.

Eby is facing charges of felony threats to bomb or injure, felony harassment, and interference with a health care facility.