MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

  Exit  

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News

MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

  Exit  

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News

Help  Close

Oklahoma City Bombing Affects Capitol

JEFFERSON CITY _ State police agencies tightened security at Missouri government buildings Wednesday (April 20) in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing on orders from Gov. Mel Carnahan.

"Additional security officers have been placed on duty at state office buildings in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Jefferson City," the governor announced in a prepared statement.

By the end of the day, the extra security was obvious to anyone visiting the Capitol, where a driveway leading directly to the front door was barricaded and patrolled by uniformed officers.

Capitol police held over their day shift and called the night shift in early in order to increase patrols around the state Capitol and other state office buildings, said Capitol police Lt. Thomas Buschman.

In addition, access to the Capitol basement was restricted as was vehicle entrances to other state buildings, the governor said.

"Since it is still unknown who is responsible for the action in Oklahoma City and what the motivation was it's not clear what the nature of the threat is," said Roy Temple, a top aid to the governor. "Until that's clarified we thought we should take reasonable additional security measures."

Temple also said the Highway Patrol were put on alert, including off-duty personnel and dog teams.

Patrols also were stepped up around the federal courthouse across the street from the Capitol in Jefferson City as well as federal courthouses across the state, said U.S. Marshall Brad English.