Atlantic Station in Atlanta saw a tense few hours yesterday when a bomb threat led to the evacuation of a popular movie theater and several nearby businesses. According to the Atlanta Police Department, the phoned-in bomb threat was reported just before 5 p.m. at the Regal Atlantic Station, located at 261 19th St. NW. In response to the threat, law enforcement swiftly moved to evacuate the area.
The announcement of the evacuation and subsequent all-clear was reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, with Lt. John Chafee informing the public, "We got a call of a phoned-in bomb threat at the theater behind us in Atlantic Station. Officers responded to the scene. The theater was evacuated, and several nearby businesses were as well." Chafee emphasized that no device was found after an extensive search. "Our canine units responded to the scene. We have swept the building and at this point, no device has been found," he told FOX 5 Atlanta. The area was evacuated out of an abundance of caution as officers worked to determine the validity of the threat.
While the police action was underway, a significant law enforcement presence was noted at the site. 11Alive described officers from APD, MARTA Police, the Fulton County Sheriff, and Georgia Tech Police converging on the spot, with photos capturing the heavy police presence and blocked roads.
The ongoing investigation aims to find the individual responsible for the bomb threat. "Ultimately, we're going to be trying to determine who phoned this in, locate that person and charge them, accordingly," Lt. Chafee explained in a statement obtained by 11Alive. Details about the number of people evacuated were not immediately available, with Chafee noting that the theater staff initiated the evacuation. Homeland Security investigators have been notified about the incident and are presumably joining the search for the caller.
After the all-clear was provided by the police, customers and staff were allowed to return to their activities. The area has been deemed safe, and business at Atlantic Station has resumed as usual.
