Hawaii Island police of Tuesday arrested 43-year-old Erick Smith of Volcano in connection with a bomb threat incident at the Keaau Post Office.

At about 12:07 p.m., police responded to a report that a man, later identified as Smith, entered the post office in the Keaau Shopping Center and told an employee that a box he left at the counter contained a bomb.

The man then left the area on foot.

As a precaution, officers immediately secured and evacuated the building and surrounding businesses. At the direction of the HPD, Keaau Intermediate School initiated an evacuation, conducting a school safety drill in which all students were safely relocated to the Keaau High School parking lot.

Police later found Smith nearby and arrested him on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening. He was taken to HPD’s East Hawaii Detention Facility in Hilo, where he remains in custody pending further investigation by East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives.

Members of the Hawaii Island Bomb Squad responded to the scene and conducted an assessment of the package, determining that there was no explosive threat.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the police non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311. Those who prefer anonymity can contact Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.