Broward man behind false FLL airport bomb threat reveals motive, deputies report

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 29-year-old man told deputies that he had called in a false bomb threat at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport because he wanted law enforcement to detain him, according to a police report released on Thursday afternoon.

Deputies found Anthony Durand, of Plantation, holding one piece of gray luggage on the third floor of the Palm Garage at FLL after his false threat prompted an evacuation of Terminal 4 on Wednesday, according to deputies.

Durand, who was wearing a black T-shirt and tan pants, left a Spirit Airline ticket counter after calling 911 at about 7:20 p.m. to report that he had a bomb, according to deputies.

Deputies with the BSO threat management division interrogated Durand, who confessed and told them he “did not intend” to cause an evacuation or to disrupt airport operations, according to deputies.

Deputy Benny Langford, of the TMU division, arrested Durand shortly before 9:30 p.m., at the airport, and correctional officers booked him at the Broward County main jail in Fort Lauderdale where he remained on Thursday night.

Broward prosecutors filed a case against him on Thursday for false reports concerning planting a bomb, explosive, or weapon of mass destruction, a second-degree felony, court records show.

Durand doesn’t have a criminal record in Broward County and a judge set his bond at $50,000, records show. Broward Circuit Judge Nickolaus Hunter Davis is presiding over the case.

Deputies didn’t report if Durand said why he wanted to be arrested. Detectives were asking anyone with information about the case to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

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Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Luis Castro contributed to this report.