Linn County Courthouse reopens after bomb threat

UPDATE: The Linn County Courthouse has reopened after being locked down this morning because somebody called in a bomb threat, sheriff's deputies said.

People are now being allowed back into the courthouse, and others are being allowed to leave by the front door.

The threat was called in around 9 a.m., Cedar Rapids police said. A caller told dispatchers they'd placed an explosive device outside the courthouse. Police and deputies investigated an area by some parked cars, and the Third Avenue bridge downtown was closed for a time, but has now reopened.

A bomb dog was brought inside the courthouse, and an officer took the dog floor to floor. The officer led the dog along the walls, checking bathroom areas and outside of the courtrooms on the upper floors.

The officer then came down and said, "We're clear." Nothing suspicious was found, police said.