UPDATED: Safeway bomb threat deemed a hoax
By Kyra Hoggan
On Dec. 18, at roughly 1 p.m., the Castlegar RCMP, Kootenay Boundary GIS, Trail Detachment, Castlegar Fire Department and emergency services responded to a complaint of a bomb threat called in to the manager of Canada Safeway, according to RCMP Cpl. Debbie Postnikoff.
“Police immediately evacuated the Canada Safeway and the attached shopping plaza,” Postnikoff said. “A threat assessment was conducted and, based on similar threats to other Canada Safeway stores across the country, the threat was deemed low risk.
“The store was contained and the entire parking lot was blocked off while the area was searched. Officers observed that there were no explosives in the store and shoppers were able to return just after 3 p.m.”
She said the Kootenay Boundary General Investigative Section are continuing with the investigation.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to call Castlegar RCMP at 250-365-7721.
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RCMP Cpl. Debbie Postnikoff has confirmed that the entire plaza anchored by Safeway has been evacuated and the parking lot emptied and cordoned off due to a bomb threat received at approximately 1:30 p.m. Police are now guarding entrance areas and awaiting specialists to examine and clear the area.
At roughly 2:20 p.m., Postnikoff said the area would remain off-limits for at least another hour (Super 8, Bubblees and Castlegar Realty are all fine, outside the cordoned area), and asked that residents avoid the plaza until the situation has been dealt with.
“The important thing is, no one is at risk,” she said.
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