Any dreams gamblers had of winning fortunes at Nebraska’s Grand Island Casino over the weekend were cut short after a prank bomb threat prompted an evacuation.
Sunday’s gambling activities came to a halt shortly after the hoaxer called the casino at approximately 2:13 pm, claiming “bombs had been placed in specific areas of the building.”
immediate emergency response
The call escalated to an immediate emergency response, with officers from the Grand Island Police Department (GIPD) dispatched to the casino. Along with the evacuation of the casino and surrounding areas, the GIPD conducted on-site sweeps of Grand Island while also reviewing surveillance footage to verify the hoaxer’s claims.
Police eventually declared the bomb threat a hoax, while confirming no explosive devices or firearms were found on site.
According to reports, investigators classified the incident as a criminal hoax called “swatting” in which fake emergency reports are phoned in to trigger a large police response.
The GIPD said it would “continue to investigate incidents of swatting, which divert emergency resources and can place the public and first responders at risk.”
