Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs Put on Lockdown After Man Threatens Authorities
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: August 17, 2012
Multiple buildings on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs were put on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after a homeless man walked into the visitor center and began threatening some workers.
Hot Springs National Park reports 38-year-old Todd Bronson Mitchell of Mendocino, Calif. entered the building early Wednesday afternoon and began making threatening remarks aimed at National Park Service law enforcement officers.
Hot Springs National Park Rangers responded to calls made by visitor center employees, and all the buildings on Bathhouse Row were immediately put on lockdown to prevent entry while the suspect remained at large.
The lockdown lasted less than 30 minutes.
Chief Ranger John Hughes said, "We have a very close working relationship with the City of Hot Springs and are grateful to them for calling us. Because of their timely response we were able to quickly resolve this issue before anyone got hurt."
Mitchell, who has an extensive criminal history throughout the country, was charged with threatening federal police officers and is currently awaiting trial.
The investigation revealed that Mitchell was angry at the Park Rangers after he was evicted from the Gulpha Gorge Campground the previous evening for failing to pay required camping fees.
Hot Springs National Park reports 38-year-old Todd Bronson Mitchell of Mendocino, Calif. entered the building early Wednesday afternoon and began making threatening remarks aimed at National Park Service law enforcement officers.
Hot Springs National Park Rangers responded to calls made by visitor center employees, and all the buildings on Bathhouse Row were immediately put on lockdown to prevent entry while the suspect remained at large.
The lockdown lasted less than 30 minutes.
Chief Ranger John Hughes said, "We have a very close working relationship with the City of Hot Springs and are grateful to them for calling us. Because of their timely response we were able to quickly resolve this issue before anyone got hurt."
Mitchell, who has an extensive criminal history throughout the country, was charged with threatening federal police officers and is currently awaiting trial.
The investigation revealed that Mitchell was angry at the Park Rangers after he was evicted from the Gulpha Gorge Campground the previous evening for failing to pay required camping fees.
