ALBUQUERQUE – Local and federal law enforcement officers were looking for a man responsible for a bomb scare at an Albuquerque bank Friday that involved suspicious devices strapped to a doctor and a medical assistant.
Authorities said the man, armed with a gun, walked into a medical clinic near the bank just before 4 p.m. and forced the doctor and assistant to strap on some kind of packs that he claimed were loaded with explosives. The man then ordered the two to walk into the Bank of America branch.
Albuquerque police spokeswoman Trish Hoffman said the man told the doctor and the assistant "if they did attempt to leave the bank, the device would be detonated."
The FBI said no surveillance video of the suspect was available since he never went inside the bank. The man was said to be 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. He was wearing a wig.
After the man left, police said the victims -- with the help of two other people in the bank -- were able to take off the packs. The people were then helped to safety by authorities. No one was hurt.
The police department's bomb squad removed the packs and destroyed them. It was unclear late Friday what was in the packs.
Police cordoned off the bank and closed nearby streets for about two hours.
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