A Glendale man was charged Thursday with making bomb threats against ABC7, including one that forced the evacuation of its Glendale studio last month and sent station employees outside for the afternoon newscast.
Tyler Raj Barriss, 22, pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of false report of a bomb to an agency or business and one felony count of criminal threats, along with one misdemeanor count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime.
The TV station was evacuated Sept. 30 after a caller said there were several bombs in the building at 500 Circle Seven Drive, off Flower Street.
Anchorman David Ono, standing alongside co-anchor Ellen Leyva, told viewers during the 4 p.m. newscast that day, “It’s a highly unique situation, so we are getting an education on what it’s like to be a part of a bomb threat.”
Searches of the building and surrounding grounds turned up no suspicious items and the all-clear was given in the midst of ABC7’s 4 p.m. broadcast. The station began broadcasting from within the facility again at 5 p.m.
The criminal complaint additionally also alleges that Barriss made a second bomb threat against the station Oct. 9.
Barriss also is accused of threatening a relative to prevent her from reporting the alleged threats, according to prosecutors.
Barriss was arrested Tuesday by Glendale police and has remained jailed since then, according to jail records.
He is due back Oct. 27 in a Burbank courtroom for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.
— Wire reports