Suspect charged with terroristic threatening following bomb threat at Hilo mall

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A 43-year-old man has been charged with terroristic threatening after an incident involving a suspicious bag at a Hilo shopping center.

Following an hours-long investigation and the evacuation of the area, the Hawaii Island police department’s bomb squad determined the bag was empty and gave the all-clear.

The incident occurred around 1 p.m. on Tuesday at Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo.

Hilo police received a call from the shopping center that a man, Hilo resident Ebn Wandell, walked into a management office with a bag and made statements that the bag contained a bomb.

Officials say after making the alleged threats, Wandell left the bag in the office and fled the area on foot.

Officers secured and evacuated the area while the Bomb Squad arrived and determined that the bag was empty.

Wandell later returned to the property, where police located and arrested him. He was charged with one count of second-degree terroristic threatening on Wednesday.

His bail is set at $1,000.

Wandell remains in police custody pending his initial court appearance on Thursday afternoon.

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