The state of the world today is a scary one. Violent crimes such as murder, assault, etc. seem to rule the news headlines these days. School shootings are at the top of a heightened worry list.

There is one thing that seems to kind of fly under the radar for the most part, and it's just as scary as a lot of the different threats or events to happen.

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Bomb threats. They seem to be the new Amarillo pastime. Normally you hear about one or two throughout an entire year. However, I swear I've heard about (or what seems like) ten or more different bomb threats in Amarillo alone in 2022.

Now, bear in mind the majority of these threats are empty and there's not actually a bomb anywhere. Regardless, it's enough to cause major panic for the people that are in the building or area.

There are a couple of threats I can think of right off the top of my head that were big ones and could've caused mass chaos in our fair little city.

One of the more recent ones being the threat that came to the Owens Corning building. The amount of people that work inside that building is staggering, and it could've been a catastrophic event no matter the size of the bomb there.

There was the scare in the parking garage at Rick Husband Internation Airport where a piece of luggage was found just hanging out by its lonesome. It popped a positive test for explosive materials. That spurred a visit from the APD bomb squad, but when they checked it out, they found there was no explosive device in there.

I know those aren't the only ones because I've heard of several his year, but it feels like these are on the rise. Let's not make empty bomb threats (or ANY bomb threats for that matter) as a way of having your fun or being disgruntled at work. There's nothing fun about it.

Amarillo Murders in 2021

With an official tally of 27 murders, the year 2021 saw the highest number of homicides in Amarillo since 1994.

Below is a closer look at the year's criminal acts that resulted in life lost.

**Note from the Editor: The following is not an exhaustive list. We have compiled what you see below from news reports, official police statements, along with where the case stands in the court system. If you see any errors in reporting or fact, please email the editor directly at sarah.clark@townsquaremedia.com along with any supporting documents.

We wish to stress that all individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

***Not pictured: Edward Matthew Gamez

Texas Crime Statistics By City

Check to see how crime compares in your city versus elsewhere.

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