A late-night caller who threatened to “bomb or shoot up” the Grand Cinema in downtown Tacoma forced the nonprofit theater to cancel every Father’s Day screening on Sunday, June 21, abruptly darkening one of the city’s favorite art-house spots and upending holiday plans for moviegoers.
The Grand’s staff said they were working closely with the Tacoma Police Department and made safety their top priority for patrons, volunteers and employees. Officers conducted sweeps of the building and reported finding no immediate danger, and police cars lingered in the neighborhood Sunday while the theater stayed closed. The shutdown put a sudden pause on the downtown venue’s programming and left ticket-holders sorting out refunds instead of popcorn.
In a statement to FOX 13 Seattle, a theater representative wrote, “We prioritize the safety of our patrons,” and said the team was issuing refunds to everyone who bought tickets for Sunday’s showings. The Grand asked patrons to contact [email protected] if they did not see a refund by the end of the day.
About the Grand
The Grand Cinema is Tacoma’s nonprofit art-house cinema and hosts the Tacoma Film Festival along with year-round repertory programming from its home at 606 Fawcett Ave, according to the theater’s Grand Cinema website. The venue has been a downtown staple for nearly three decades and regularly draws neighborhood crowds for special screenings and events.
Police response
Tacoma police told FOX 13 Seattle that officers performed initial sweeps late Saturday and found no immediate threats, then added patrols in the area while investigators followed up on the call. Police did not release details about the caller or say whether any arrests had been made as of Sunday afternoon.
Refunds and next steps
Anyone who bought tickets for the canceled shows should see refunds processed automatically. The theater asked people who still had questions to email [email protected]. Staff apologized for interrupting holiday plans and said they would reopen once police gave the all-clear and management felt it was safe to operate again.
