On Sunday, the Walmart on FM 518 near Highway 146 in Kemah was evacuated after a caller said bombs were inside and demanded money, police said. Shoppers and staff were told to leave while a bomb-sniffing K-9 team searched the store. No bombs were found, and the store was declared safe. The incident came amid other similar threats across Galveston County over the weekend.
What Kemah police say
Kemah Police Chief Raymond Garvey told FOX 26 Houston the call came in around 4:15 p.m. on Sunday from someone apparently using a device to disguise his voice. The caller allegedly claimed there were three bombs inside the store and demanded $10,000, threatening to set off the explosives in roughly half an hour if the money did not appear.
Multi-agency sweep
Officers from the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, Clear Lake Shores Police Department and the Kemah Fire Department moved in to secure the area while a U.S. Marshals K-9 unit helped search the building, KGTX 7 News reported. Investigators said they carried out a full sweep, turned up no explosive devices and kept the store closed for part of the evening as detectives worked on tracking where the robocall came from.
Threats reported across the county
Chief Garvey told FOX 26 Houston that other bomb threats had been reported in recent days and that Kemah police will coordinate with nearby agencies to see whether the incidents are tied together. Authorities asked residents to steer clear of impacted spots while searches were underway.
Local context
Hoax and robocall bomb threats have periodically hit businesses and institutions in the region, prompting similar lockdowns and evacuations. Coverage of a 2024 evacuation in Galveston detailed how officers relied on K-9 sweeps and kept buildings closed as a precaution, as detailed by Hoodline. Local reporting shows that in cases like these, police treat every threat as if it might be real and clear entire structures with canine teams before letting customers or congregants back inside.
Investigation continues
Investigators do not yet know who made the threatening call and are asking anyone with information to contact the Kemah Police Department. Detectives from several agencies are working to trace the robocall and see if it is linked to other recent threats in Galveston County.
