BATON ROUGE - Two Baton Rouge banks were caught up in what appears to be a nationwide hoax involving threatening emails Thursday.

The threats were reported shortly after 1 o'clock Thursday at the Crestmark Bank at 726 Highlandia Drive and at the Campus Federal Credit Union at 6230 Perkins Road respectively. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and Baton Rouge Police Department each confirmed they were investigating the threats.

Reports suggest similar threats have been made in Alexandria, Metairie and numerous cities outside the state within a similar time frame. The emailed threats reportedly involve demands for bitcoin, a virtual currency.

Several agencies in different cities have said the threats do not appear to be legitimate. Louisiana State Police say the threat level is "considered to be low" at this time.

The FBI New Orleans Field Office released the following statement Thursday afternoon.

“We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”

BATON ROUGE - The son of Alton Sterling, a man killed by a former Baton Rouge Police officer, has been charged with rape after he allegedly sexually assaulted a juvenile.

Police were called to a local hospital on December 9 to investigate. There, detectives learned that 18-year-old Cameron Sterling allegedly raped the 8-year-old victim while two other children were at the residence.

The victim later told authorities that Sterling had forcibly performed a sex act on him against his will. 

When questioned about the incident, Sterling initially denied touching the child. Sterling's mother told police that her son is diagnosed with severe depression and bi-polar disorder and believed he may have had a "mental episode."

Sterling was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count of first-degree rape.

BATON ROUGE – A 7-year-old was gravely injured after shooting himself with a gun found inside their apartment Thursday morning, eyewitnesses told WBRZ.

Police and first responders rushed to the scene at the complex on North Ardenwood around 7:20 a.m. Thursday where the child was found in his mother’s bathroom.

Witnesses said they heard screams from the apartment and found the boy.

The child was rushed to the hospital in serious condition.

“We were waking up… and heard the little boy hit the floor,” a downstairs neighbor said. “We thought something was wrong,” the neighbor said, so she and her boyfriend went to see what was the matter and found the child.

“He was on the floor” in the bathroom, the woman said.

Police are investigating.