Bomb threat made in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — An Othello teenager was arrested Tuesday after he reportedly told an official at the state Department of Licensing office in Moses Lake "he should bomb the government."

Christopher Joseph Orozco, 19, arrived at the office about 2 p.m. to take care of some driver's license business and became frustrated at the end of the transaction, said Brad Benfield, a spokesman for the licensing department.

Orozco then allegedly made the threat about 2:15 p.m. and stormed out of the office, in the 1000 block of West Broadway.

Other customers were in the office during the incident, Benfield said, but it's not clear if they heard the alleged threat.

The office manager called police and reported Orozco's comments, Benfield said.

Orozco returned about 10 minutes later and was arrested, said Moses Lake Police Capt. Jim Jenkins.

Police searched Orozco but found nothing, Jenkins said. No vehicles were searched because police don't believe Orozco drove to the office.

Orozco was transported to Ephrata and booked into Grant County Jail for investigation of threats to bomb.

"We take any kind of threat seriously and have policies and procedures in place to deal with that," Benfield said Wednesday.

"Obviously it causes public concern when people make comments like that," Jenkins said. "You don't have the right cause concern for the safety of the public."

A criminal history search showed no convictions for Orozco, Jenkins said.

The Grant County Prosecutor's Office is yet to file charges against Orozco.