Over the course of two days, the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa faced a security concern that led to two separate evacuations after the discovery of "crude" explosive devices. The first device, hidden in a men's restroom adjacent to the casino floor, was found shortly before the stroke of midnight on Sunday. This discovery necessitated an immediate partial evacuation of the premises, according to CBS News. In a coordinated effort with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Disposal Team, the device, comprising fireworks components, was "quickly deactivated."
In an ongoing response to this incident, a second device was located on Monday afternoon in the Mezzanine area's men's restroom. "The Seminole Police Department said it was working with the FBI" and continued to review surveillance footage actively, aiming to unravel the circumstances surrounding these unsettling findings. The Mezzanine area was closely evacuated, following the same careful protocol employed the night before to safely remove the potential threat, as CBS News reported.
The disruption brought about by these events seemed to be managed with a measure of control and efficiency that saw the casino reopen by 3 a.m. Monday, following the resolution of the first event. The exact specifications of the devices and the potential danger they posed was not made immediately clear, nor was there any early indication of a suspect or motive in the placement of the devices.
Local authorities, including the Seminole Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Disposal Team, and federal agents from the FBI, worked in concert to ensure the removal of the second device, once again allowing patrons to return to the casino floor by the evening. Tribal police described the devices as "crude concealed devices as having fireworks components," a detail that highlights the makeshift nature of the threat, WTSP reported. Investigation into both the origin and intent behind these devices continues as the authorities work to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents of similar nature.
