Man makes bomb threat at Miami Greek Orthodox church, sheriff’s office says
A man was arrested Monday the day after he brought a backpack into a Kendall Greek Orthodox Church in Miami and told congregants it was a bomb, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies say Isaac Lopez, 27, was acting strangely while holding the backpack inside St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church on North Kendall Drive around 9:30 a.m. during the Sunday service.
A member told an usher about Lopez, who confronted him about his backpack. According to his arrest report, Lopez told the usher, “It’s a bomb.” He then handed the bag to the usher and said, “It’s just a bomb,” the report states.
The usher secured the bag in a room at the church, deputies say. About five to 10 minutes later, a loud, “high-pitched” sound could be heard throughout the church that sounded like a timer, according to the report. Lopez ran into the room where his backpack was taken, put his phone, which was making the noise, in the bag and went back to the main area of the church, the report states.
As the service was letting out, Lopez yelled, “Allahu Akbar,” which means “God is great,” as he left, deputies said.
Several church members know Lopez and told deputies where he lives, the arrest report said. Deputies arrested him on Monday.
At the station, Lopez confessed, but the details of what he told deputies were redacted from his arrest report.
He was still being held Tuesday at Turner Guildford Knight Correctional Center on a $7,650 bond on charges of making a false bomb threat and causing a disturbance at a church or school.
