Umbrella forces evacuation of mall, SWAT team response.
5 replies, posted
Disregard this thread, late apperently.
[release]BOSTON -- A "mistaken report" of a man with a gun triggered the evacuation of the Burlington Mall Tuesday and had dozens of state and local police officers searching the area.
Massachusetts State Police officers and Burlington Police officers were sent to the mall shortly after 10 a.m. after at least five people said they saw a man with a rifle inside the Nordstrom store.
The object in question turned out to be an umbrella, according to Massachusetts State Police, and the mall was later reopened.
"The (man) does not have a weapon. He was reportedly holding an umbrella. The man in question called State Police from Lahey Clinic, where he reportedly is an employee, to say he was the person who was seen in the mall," State Police said in a statement.
Witnesses and surveillance footage confirmed that the person with the umbrella is the man who was seen in the mall.
"Five people confirmed that they thought it was a weapon. With a report like this, you have to air on the side of caution, which is what we did," Burlington Police Department Chief Michael Kent said.
"Upon arrival at work, the employee heard the description of the alleged person carrying a rifle on the news and immediately called the Burlington Police," the Lahey Clinic said in a statement. "The Lahey employee is pleased he took appropriate action and contacted the police, however he feels terrible about the situation."
Earlier, the mall at 75 Middlesex Turnpike was evacuated, and officers searched the mall and surrounding area, including the Lahey Clinic and two other commercial properties.
"I think they are trying to make sure everyone is safe in their stores and customers are safe, as well. (Officers) are walking around and doing a routine check," said a woman who works in the mall. "They seem like they have it under control. I think they would have told me to leave if there were some serious danger."
The man was described as a short, Caucasian man wearing a gray shirt. He was carrying a backpack and what appeared to be a rifle, police said. He was detained by officials about one hour after the search began, but officials soon realized he had an umbrella in his possession.
"We had just opened up, and shortly after, that was when all of this went down," said Rose McDonough, who was working inside the mall. "It was unsettling, for sure."
Police set up a perimeter around the mall. There were no reports of any injuries.
The Burlington Mall is an upscale shopping center anchored by Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Macy's and Sears and has more than 185 stores and several restaurants.
In 2007, a 19-year-old man walked into the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb., and shot and killed nine people, including himself. Four others were injured in the attack.
"This has certainly been an increased focus of any mall across the nation over the last decade. I think any of us who have gone to malls has noticed an increased security," said John Hurst, of the Massachusetts Retailers Association. "There is constant monitoring at all those exits and entrances."
NewsCenter 5 and TheBostonChannel.com will have more information when it becomes available.[/release]
[url=http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/27596537/detail.html]Source: WCVB-TV[/url]
The umbrella:
[img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/b625_samurai_sword_umbrella_tanto_compare.jpg[/img]
[url=http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/japanfan/b625/]The umbrella in question[/url]
This was posted already.
Next time, read the ITN page before you post, damnit.
[url]http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1080679-My-home-town-s-mall-evactuated-because-an-umbrella-was-thought-to-be-a-rifle[/url]
I read the title thinking this was about Resident Evil or something.
The title of this thread made me think there was some sort of zombie outbreak :ohdear:
[editline]20th April 2011[/editline]
ninjaaaaa
The title did not make me think of a game
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.