Alamogordo NM
3-05-2026 9:17pm

Bomb Threat Empties Full House North Child Development Center; Mayor McDonald Praises Holloman and City First Responders in Statement

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — A menacing bomb threat brought chaos to a normally quiet stretch of North Florida Avenue on Wednesday afternoon, forcing the complete evacuation of Full House North Child Development Center and triggering a massive multi-agency law enforcement and military response that put the surrounding neighborhood and nearby schools on edge for hours.

AlamogordoTownNews.org was first official entity to report the incident, publishing the initial official government update at approximately 3:05 PM MST as authorities were still actively working the scene. As the afternoon unfolded, Mayor Sharon McDonald issued an exclusive statement in response to a news query from Anthony Lucero of streaming KALHradio.org — a 2nd Life Media news partner — thanking first responders and affirming that public safety remained the city’s top priority.

How AlamogordoTownNews.org Broke the Story

2nd Life Media’s newsroom was monitoring local dispatch and community communications Wednesday afternoon when reports of an emergency situation at the child development center began surfacing. Pulling together information from dispatch feeds, CHINS posts, and direct contact with city officials, AlamogordoTownNews.org published the first confirmed, official-sourced account of the incident before any other local outlet.

The initial report confirmed that a bomb threat had been called in at Full House North, that all children had been safely relocated, that Holloman Air Force Base EOD and K-9 units had been requested, and that a Genesis alert had been issued. That foundation of verified, official information set the standard for coverage as the story developed throughout the afternoon.

The Threat: What Authorities Reported

At approximately 2:58 PM MST, a caller reported to emergency services that an individual at Full House North Child Development Center, located near the 1400 block of North Florida Avenue, was armed with multiple explosive devices and a rifle. The nature of the threat — combining firearms and explosives — immediately elevated the response, prompting a full perimeter lockdown and the activation of Holloman Air Force Base’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team under a mutual aid agreement with the City of Alamogordo.

Full House North serves working families across the Tularosa Basin, providing childcare and early development services to some of the community’s youngest and most vulnerable residents. At the time of the threat, the center was fully operational with children and staff present throughout the building.

The Alamogordo Police Department established a perimeter around the facility and immediately coordinated with Holloman Air Force Base, reflecting the deep military-civilian cooperation that has long defined public safety in this community adjacent to one of the nation’s premier Air Force installations. A Genesis alert — Alamogordo’s community-wide emergency notification system — was activated to inform residents of the evolving situation.

Every Child Accounted For: The Evacuation

Despite the alarming nature of the threat, the evacuation of Full House North proceeded without incident. Staff moved all children from the building quickly and calmly, relocating the entire group to Potter’s House at the corner of 16th Street and Florida Avenue, which served as the designated reunification site for the afternoon. City officials confirmed that every child was fully accounted for, and parents were notified and directed to Potter’s House for pickup.

The successful evacuation drew praise from officials and community members alike. The ability to move an entire childcare facility’s population to safety without panic or injury speaks to the preparation of Full House North’s staff and the speed of law enforcement’s arrival on scene.

The situation also had ripple effects on the broader neighborhood. Alamogordo Public Schools, monitoring the heavy law enforcement presence in the area, implemented a precautionary shelter-in-place at both Stepping Stones and North Elementary School. Administrators were careful to note that neither school was the subject of a threat — the measure was taken purely out of an abundance of caution given the active police activity nearby. Students and staff remained inside and safe throughout.

Holloman EOD, K-9 Units, APD: The Response

The multi-agency response that descended on North Florida Avenue Wednesday afternoon illustrated precisely why Alamogordo and Holloman Air Force Base were awarded the prestigious ALTUS Trophy in 2025 for their exceptional military-community partnership. EOD specialists from Holloman — among the most highly trained bomb disposal technicians in the U.S. Air Force — arrived on scene with K-9 detection units and immediately began a systematic sweep of the Full House North facility and surrounding grounds.

APD officers maintained the perimeter and coordinated traffic and crowd control while the military team worked the interior. The operation was methodical and professional. As of the most recent update at press time, no explosive devices had been located and no credible physical threat had been confirmed. Law enforcement sources indicated the incident was being treated as a potential hoax, though all clearance procedures were being completed before any determination could be made official.

Mayor McDonald’s  Statement: Obtained by KALHradio.org

As the scene was being cleared, Anthony Lucero of streaming KALHradio.org — a 2nd Life Media news partner serving the Tularosa Basin — reached out directly to Mayor Sharon McDonald with a news query seeking the city’s official response to the incident. Mayor McDonald called in her statement, making it an on-record comment from Alamogordo’s top elected official on the afternoon’s events.

The statement, shared exclusively with AlamogordoTownNews.org and KALHradio.org, reflects the mayor’s characteristic directness and her longstanding support for the men and women of the Alamogordo Police Department and Holloman Air Force Base:

https://youtu.be/yfFxOrw5rmA?si=zZPO5wz6bz_sZRNp

“I am calling in response to the bomb threat today. I would like to thank the first responders from Holloman Air Force Base and the city for their quick response to the potential bomb threat. Our primary concern was, of course, the children, and we are grateful that everyone was safely evacuated without incident. The situation remains under investigation. We appreciate the professionalism and swift action taken by all involved.”

— Mayor Sharon McDonald, City of Alamogordo (Statement called in to Anthony Lucero, KALHradio.org, in response to a news query) https://youtu.be/yfFxOrw5rmA?si=zZPO5wz6bz_sZRNp

The mayor’s words carry particular weight in a community where the bond between civilian leadership, local law enforcement, and the Air Force is both deeply personal and operationally vital. Holloman Air Force Base is not just a neighbor — it is a cornerstone of Alamogordo’s economy, identity, and public safety infrastructure. Wednesday’s rapid, coordinated response demonstrated that relationship in real time.

KALHradio.org, which streams live programming serving the Tularosa Basin, has works alongside Alamogordo Town News as part of the 2nd Life Media family to bring community-focused news coverage to residents of Alamogordo, La Luz, Tularosa, Cloudcroft, and the surrounding region.

Investigation: APD Leading the Inquiry

The Alamogordo Police Department is leading the investigation into the source of the threat. As of 9 pm publication time, no suspect had been publicly identified and no arrest had been announced. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the call and reviewing any available security footage from the facility and surrounding area.

It bears noting that filing a false bomb report is a serious criminal offense under New Mexico state law. Conveying a false threat is a fourth-degree felony under NMSA 30-20-13, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and significant fines.

As the investigation confirms this was a hoax call, prosecutors and law enforcement have made clear in past cases that they pursue such charges aggressively — particularly when the threat disrupts the safety of children.

Anyone with information regarding today’s incident at Full House North Child Development Center is urged to contact the Alamogordo Police Department. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

A Community That Shows Up

Wednesday’s events, while frightening, also served as a reminder of something Alamogordo residents know well: when the call goes out, this community answers. From the staff at Full House North who evacuated their charges without incident, to the APD officers who locked down the scene within minutes, to the Holloman EOD team that drove off base and went to work — every link in the chain held.

Mayor McDonald’s decision to call in a personal statement — rather than issue a written release hours later — reflects the kind of engaged, community-connected leadership that Alamogordo has come to expect. And the fact that the statement came through KALHradio.org and AlamogordoTownNews.org underscores the role that local, independent media continues to play in keeping this community informed when it matters most and timely.

This is a developing story. AlamogordoTownNews.org will continue to update this report as new information is confirmed by authorities. Follow us at AlamogordoTownNews.org and listen live on KALHradio.org for the latest developments.

More News from Alamogordo
I'm interested
I disagree with this
This is unverified
Spam
Offensive