RAPID CITY, S.D. – Law enforcement officers remain on scene at Monument Health in Rapid City as local, state, and federal agencies investigate a bomb threat that appears to be part of a broader national trend of hoax calls targeting medical facilities.

Explosives-detection resources, including specialized units from Ellsworth Air Force Base and the South Dakota Highway Patrol, were deployed to search public areas and entrances throughout the hospital complex. Police reported that as of late Thursday morning, no evidence or suspicious items have been located to substantiate the threat.

Hospital operations were not interrupted by the response, and officials confirmed the facility did not go into a formal lockdown.

“There never really was a lockdown,” said Rapid City Police Department spokesperson Brendyn Medina. “The hospital remained open for patients to come and go. There was no impact to any appointments or anything. Obviously, patient safety and staff safety was the number one priority for law enforcement.”

Medina said officers initiated visual sweeps of all public areas before bringing in explosives-detection assets to verify the facility’s safety.

“As of right now, I would say the majority of the hospital has been searched and at this time, nothing suspicious has been located,” Medina said. “No evidence to substantiate the threat as it was called in. And so we’re going to continue working until we’re confident that there isn’t anything there.”

Investigators noted that the nature of the call mirrors a recent surge of fraudulent threats made to healthcare centers in Minneapolis and across the country.

“Some of the specifics of the call as it came in had some similarities to other recent threats to medical facilities across the country,” Medina said. “Because of that, we do have reason to believe that this may be falling in line with some of those other hoax calls that have been made to other hospitals across the country.”

The Rapid City Police Department is coordinating its investigation alongside the Division of Criminal Investigation and federal authorities to identify the individual or group responsible. Police emphasized that those behind the threat will be held accountable.

Medina expressed gratitude for the prompt multi-agency response and the close coordination with hospital leadership during the event.

“I think it’s important to note that we do enjoy a very high level working partnership with the hospital that allows law enforcement to engage with staff and leadership at the hospital to make sure that we’re making all the right decisions in these emergency situations for patient and staff safety,” Medina said. “Also, we’re thankful for those relationships that we have with Highway Patrol and bomb detection resources from the Air Force out there. We’re thankful for those partnerships that help us expedite our response to events like this that help us just ensure that there isn’t anything that’s going to threaten public safety.”