Man Arrested After Bomb Threat At Hospital

(WHBC) – There were some tense moments at a Canton hospital after a man allegedly said he had a bomb in his backpack.

It happened at Mercy Medical Center a little after midnight Sunday.

Police say Donald Banner, 36, told an employee he had a bomb in his backpack and then said that he was “just kidding.”

Court records show, when he was asked to open the backpack to ensure there was no bomb, he refused.

Police sent five units to the hospital to investigate, which is a large percentage of manpower for that shift.

Officers determined there was no explosive in the man’s backpack.

Banner was arrested and charged with inducing panic and disrupting public service, each a felony.

Police say the man’s actions tied up police resources inappropriately and impaired their ability to respond to other emergencies in the city.

His arraignment is set for Tuesday morning.