On Thursday, a hoax call incited a large-scale evacuation and prompted a SWAT response at the Parkwest Bicycle Casino and Hotel in Bell Gardens. As reported by KTLA, the California Highway Patrol closed northbound lanes of Interstate 710 at Florence Avenue as part of the security measures, causing significant traffic delays.
Hundreds of patrons and employees were directed to a nearby shopping center parking lot as police established a perimeter. Bell Gardens Mayor Miguel De La Rosa detailed the nature of the threat in a statement obtained by NBC Los Angeles, saying, "The casino received a threat, an active threat of an individual requesting $50K or else this individual was going to open fire on the casino floor. The individual also mentioned that he had an associate who was willing to detonate a bomb."
Throughout the ordeal, yellow crime scene tape sectioned off areas, and congestion was visible on Florence Avenue. Law enforcement utilized at least two armored SWAT BearCat vehicles to secure the entrance of the establishment. The response included multiple agencies, with an emphasis on both urgency and caution, ensuring the safety of all involved. According to an interview, Norman Garcia, who was evacuated from the casino, told NBC Los Angeles that "All of a sudden you see everyone get up and tell everyone to evacuate. They didn’t tell us why they didn’t where we were going so a lot of confusion at first."
The threat, later confirmed to be fictitious, led to a significant disruption, not only to the casino's daily operations but also to the wider community as roads were closed and traffic rerouted. It took approximately five hours for authorities to clear the casino of any potential danger. While the Bell Gardens Police Department was reserved with details during the active situation, they confirmed that the threat was baseless upon further investigation, as stated by City News Service.
This event comes in the wake of similar swatting calls across LA County, including a threat made to an airport that proved to be a hoax. The impacts of such actions on public safety resources and the well-being of the community remain considerable, with law enforcement agencies urging citizens to remain alert and cautious while they address these types of false alarms.
