FORT PIERCE, FL — Fort Pierce police investigated a bomb threat Saturday afternoon at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital after the department said it received notice of the threat just after 2 p.m. on Sept. 12.
By 3:36 p.m., police said officers had arrived at the hospital and carried out an extensive search of the buildings. No suspicious items or devices were found, according to the Fort Pierce Police Department.
A hospital spokesperson told WPBF 25 News that visitors were temporarily evacuated, but patient care was never affected.
Police said officers searched the hospital buildings
The police department’s update said the response focused on checking the hospital grounds and buildings after the threat was reported. Officials did not say how the threat was communicated or whether it targeted a specific area of the facility.
The extensive search was completed without finding anything suspicious. That result allowed police and hospital officials to rule out any immediate physical danger inside the buildings, at least based on the Saturday afternoon sweep.
No injuries were reported, and police did not announce any arrest or identify a suspect in connection with the threat.
Visitors were moved out, but care kept going
HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital confirmed that the response included a temporary evacuation of visitors. The hospital said that measure was precautionary and that patient care was never interrupted during the incident.
That detail indicated the hospital continued operating even as authorities worked through the threat response. The statement did not say how long the evacuation lasted or how many people were moved.
Hospitals are often expected to balance safety precautions with the need to keep treatment going, especially when emergency services and inpatient care are active at the same time.
Timeline from the first alert to the all-clear search
Police first said they were investigating the bomb threat just after 2 p.m. on Saturday. About an hour and a half later, the department shared its update that officers were already on scene and had completed a building search.
The timing suggests a relatively quick law-enforcement response after the threat was reported. The department did not provide further details about the initial call or whether any parts of the hospital were closed during the search.
Because the hospital and police both said no suspicious items were found, the immediate response appeared to end with no evidence of an explosive device at the facility.
What officials have and have not said so far
At this point, officials have confirmed the threat, the search, the lack of suspicious items, and the temporary evacuation of visitors. They have also said patient care was not impacted.
Police have not said what prompted the threat, whether the incident is being treated as a criminal case, or whether investigators believe the hospital itself was the intended target. Those details were not provided in the statements released Saturday afternoon.
For now, the public information is limited to the immediate response and the outcome of the search, with no indication of an ongoing hazard at the hospital.
Hospital response came after a calm but serious security concern
Threats at hospitals can trigger immediate concern because facilities must protect patients, visitors and staff while preserving access to medical care. In this case, the hospital’s statement and police updates showed both priorities were addressed at once.
The visitor evacuation reflected the seriousness of the threat, while the absence of suspicious items and the continuation of patient care suggested the situation was contained without disrupting treatment. Police did not release any additional warnings after their search.
WPBF 25 News said it would continue to provide news and weather updates, but officials on Saturday afternoon had already given the key facts: a threat was reported, officers searched, and nothing dangerous was found.
