Pasadena Police Arrest Altadena Man Suspected of Making Two Bomb Threats in Two Days

Pasadena Police arrested a man in connection with a bomb threat made against the Pasadena Department of Public Heath Thursday and believe the man also phoned in a bomb threat to a local school Wednesday.

The man, Jerardo Cortez, 25, of Altadena, was contacted by detectives near the health department and "made incriminating statements and has since admitted to making the bomb threat," Pasadena Police Lt. Phlunte Riddle said. The man had no weapon and did not resist arrest, she said.

Cortez also admitted to phoning in a threat to Washington Middle School on Wednesday, according to Riddle. He told police he made the threats because "he has been very angry concerning his personal problems," according to a department news release.

Police evacuated the health department building at 1845 N. Fair Oaks Thursday Avenue at about 9 a.m. after Cortez allegedly called authorities and said he placed a bomb in the building, police said.

Officers evacuated the building and were preparing to send in bomb-sniffing dogs when a man "with the same voice" called police again and threatened to shoot any police who entered the building, Riddle said.

"He made threats that he would harm officers if they approached the building," Riddle said.

Police cordoned off Fair Oaks from Howard Street to Washington Avenue during the standoff.

Cortez was booked on charges of making criminal threats and is in custody in lieu of $50,000 in bail, police said.