Zoo Miami Announces Closure After Four Incidents in One Weekend, Investigation Ongoing

South Florida’s most visited zoo spent four straight days responding to bomb threats last week.

Zoo Miami Threatened Four Times

The first call came in on Friday, March 13. Zoo Miami evacuated guests and launched an immediate security sweep in coordination with local law enforcement. By late afternoon, the park confirmed on Facebook that the property had been cleared and would reopen the following day:

The security sweep at Zoo Miami has been completed and the park has been cleared. We will remain closed for the rest of the day, but will reopen tomorrow with normal operating hours.
We thank our guests, staff, and community for their patience and cooperation. The safety of our guests, staff, and animals remains our top priority.
For any questions or if you had tickets for today, please contact zoomiami@miamidade.gov.

Saturday brought a second threat and a second forced closure. Another sweep, another clean result. This time, Zoo Miami’s Facebook statement confirmed that the repeated calls had prompted a more substantial security response going forward:

Zoo Miami will reopen to the public tomorrow with enhanced security measures in place. In coordination with local law enforcement, additional protocols have been implemented out of an abundance of caution to help ensure the safety of our guests, staff, and animals.
Guests may notice an increased security presence, including K-9 units on site for screening and surveillance.
We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation and look forward to welcoming everyone back. Additional updates will be shared as needed.

By Sunday, March 15, K-9 units from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office were already stationed on the property when a third threat came in. The park closed again while deputies conducted another sweep, and again nothing was found. Zoo Miami addressed the community a third time:

Zoo Miami received another bomb threat today and out of an abundance of caution temporarily closed while deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office including K-9 units already on site conducted a sweep. The park was quickly given the all clear.
Zoo Miami will reopen to the public on Monday with enhanced security measures in place. In coordination with local law enforcement, additional protocols have been implemented to help ensure the safety of our guests, staff, and animals.
Guests may notice an increased security presence, including K-9 units conducting screenings and patrols throughout the park.
We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation and look forward to welcoming everyone back. Additional updates will be shared as needed.

The fourth and final threat arrived on Monday, March 16, around 5:00 p.m. — close enough to the zoo’s normal closing time that guests had largely cleared out. Detectives wrapped their investigation and gave the all-clear by 6:00 p.m., according to The Miami Herald.

Swatting Suspected, Investigation Continues

Detective Luis Sierra of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office identified the likely motive as swatting — a form of harassment in which false emergency calls are placed specifically to draw a large law enforcement response. Despite the suspected nature of the calls, Sierra’s office made clear that each threat was taken seriously and investigated thoroughly before the property was cleared.

Zoo Miami has not received any further threats since March 16. Law enforcement continues to work toward identifying whoever placed the calls.

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