Nebraska Casino Evacuated After Bomb Threat Turns Out to Be Swatting Hoax
Grand Island Casino in Nebraska was the target of a fake bomb threat on Sunday afternoon after a caller claimed multiple explosive devices were planted inside the facility. The report prompted a rapid law enforcement response and temporary evacuations in the surrounding area.
Bomb Threat Prompts Evacuation of Surrounding Areas
According to the Grand Island Police Department (GIPD), the call was received at approximately 2:13 p.m. on Jan. 11. The unidentified caller contacted the casino directly and claimed that bombs had been placed in specific areas of the building, triggering an immediate emergency response from local authorities.
Officers were dispatched to the casino and began coordinating with casino security to assess the threat. Police conducted on-site sweeps of the property while also reviewing security camera footage to verify the caller’s claims.
After a thorough investigation, authorities determined the threat was a hoax and confirmed that no explosive devices or firearms were found anywhere in the casino.
As part of standard safety protocol, GIPD also cleared the Heartland Events Center and adjoining facilities while the investigation was ongoing. Those areas were later reopened after police confirmed there was no active threat.
Investigators later determined the report was a “swatting” call.
Investigation Reveals Swatting Hoax
Swatting is a criminal hoax in which false emergency reports are made in order to trigger a large police response. In this case, local authorities said the caller used a third-party service to generate a fake phone number, making it more difficult to trace the origin of the call.
“There is no active risk to the public,” the Grand Island Police Department said in a statement. “The Grand Island Police Department takes all reported threats seriously and will continue to investigate incidents of swatting, which divert emergency resources and can place the public and first responders at risk.”
Swatting calls like this have become an increasing concern for law enforcement nationwide. Not only do swatting calls waste emergency resources but they also put first responders and the public in danger.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident and are asking anyone with information related to the call to contact the Grand Island Police Department.
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