BEAVERCREEK — A local mall was evacuated due to a bomb threat on Tuesday night.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, the Beavercreek Police Department responded to reports of a bomb threat at The Mall at Fairfield Commons after receiving a phone call at approximately 7:37 p.m.
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Police ordered everyone inside the mall to evacuate while assessing the situation.
Bomb detection teams, including four K9 units from surrounding agencies, searched the mall.
Authorities determined there was no credible threat to public safety and the mall was safe after an hours-long investigation.
News Center 7 crews on scene saw authorities start to leave just before 11 p.m.
As the mall was evacuating, people inside the restaurants on the property were also ordered to leave.
The manager at BJ’s told News Center 7 that officers came in and told them everyone needed to get out.
Customers didn’t have time to pay their bills. Through the window, food was spotted sitting on some of the tables.
He told News Center 7 that they won’t get the money from those unpaid tabs.
Lindsay Milner was inside the mall working when the evacuation began. She said her workday was just about to wrap up.
“And I got a call from one of my other associates that we needed to evacuate. Beavercreek PD met with me and said that there was an active bomb threat,” Milner said.
She said she was stunned at first.
“We got over the PA and just had all of our guests and associates exit the store,” Milner said. “I’m just kind of waiting to see what happens so I can hopefully enter the building tonight to finish closing the store.”
It’s only Milner’s first month on the job at the mall.
She’s grateful that first responders acted quickly.
“Beavercreek PD did an amazing job keeping everybody kind of calm and collected,” she said.
This incident remains under investigation by the Beavercreek Police Department.
In a social media post, the department thanked the public, mall employees, and partner agencies for their cooperation and patience during the investigation.
We will continue to follow this story.
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