KENDALL, Fla. — A 27-year-old man was arrested Monday after a bomb scare at a Kendall church on Sunday, authorities said.
The incident occurred at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, located at 7901 SW 88th St., during a Sunday service.
According to an arrest report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, a church usher was approached by another member who said Isaac Lopez was acting suspiciously and carrying a backpack.
When confronted, Lopez allegedly said, “It’s a bomb,” before handing over the bag, the report stated.
Deputies said the usher secured the backpack in a nearby room when minutes later, a loud, high-pitched alarm resembling a ticking countdown sounded from inside the church, disrupting the service.
They said Lopez reportedly ran to the room with the backpack, then placed his phone — still making a ticking noise — inside the bag and returned to the service.
As the service ended, Lopez reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar,” which is Arabic for “God is great,” causing fear among congregants, according to deputies.
Authorities said church officials provided investigators with his full name and phone number.
Detectives confirmed that Lopez gave a full confession which was redacted in the publicly-released report.
Jail records show Lopez is facing one count each of making a false report of placing a bomb or explosive and disturbing a school or religious assembly.
As of Tuesday, the Cuban national was being held on a $7,650 at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
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