Wednesday, December 4, 2024

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BREAKING NEWS: Bomb threat disrupts polling at Kayenta Business Center

KAYENTA

Polling sites at the Kayenta Business Center (formerly the old primary school) were briefly disrupted today because of a bomb threat that affected state polling locations across multiple states, including Arizona and New Mexico.

Lawson Benally, the public relations manager for the Kayenta Township, confirmed that the polling site remained open following a swift response from local law enforcement and emergency services.

According to the Kayenta Police Department, officials received a report around 2 p.m. from Navajo County, which alerted the Arizona Department of Safety about the threat aimed at polling sites in four states. Promptly responding to the situation, officers entered the Kayenta Business Center by 2:15 p.m., evacuating all individuals from the building, including students from the ABC preschool located on the premises.

“The safety of our community and voters is our top priority,” stated Benally. “We are grateful for the quick response from our law enforcement and emergency teams, which allowed us to assess and clear the building efficiently.”

At approximately 3:08 p.m., after a thorough inspection by the Kayenta Police Department, school officials, and the Kayenta Township Fire Department, the area was deemed safe. Voters and poll workers were allowed to return and continue casting their ballots without further incident, Benally stated.

Local authorities identified the threat as a potential case of “swatting,” a tactic that involves falsely reporting emergencies to elicit a police response. The Kayenta Police Department reassured the public that all threats are taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated.

Benally highlighted that the Emergency Response Plan was effective during the incident, allowing for rapid access to the polling center and a timely assessment of the situation.

“We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our electoral process and the safety of our citizens,” he concluded.


About The Author

Donovan Quintero

"Dii, Diné bi Naaltsoos wolyéhíígíí, ninaaltsoos át'é. Nihi cheii dóó nihi másání ádaaní: Nihi Diné Bizaad bił ninhi't'eelyá áádóó t'áá háadida nihizaad nihił ch'aawóle'lágo. Nihi bee haz'áanii at'é, nihisin at'é, nihi hózhǫ́ǫ́jí at'é, nihi 'ach'ą́ą́h naagééh at'é. Dilkǫǫho saad bee yájíłti', k'ídahoneezláo saad bee yájíłti', ą́ą́ chánahgo saad bee yájíłti', diits'a'go saad bee yájíłti', nabik'íyájíłti' baa yájíłti', bich'į' yájíłti', hach'į' yándaałti', diné k'ehgo bik'izhdiitįįh. This is the belief I do my best to follow when I am writing Diné-related stories and photographing our events, games and news. Ahxéhee', shik'éí dóó shidine'é." - Donovan Quintero, an award-winning Diné journalist, served as a photographer, reporter and as assistant editor of the Navajo Times until March 17, 2023.

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