I was involved in a bomb threat

[Marswolf]

I had a little time this morning, so dropped by the mall for coffee with some friends who are Korean and Vietnam War vets. About 9:50 folks came from one area of the mall and told us they were evacuating the place.

Panic did not ensue, even if one reporter who came up wanted someone to say that it did.

I was one of the "milling". We just moved the party outside. I think about half the people had handguns. Note to thieves and thugs - don't shoot or hold up the mall while the old farts are drinking coffee or walking their morning laps.

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-02-15-0018.html

BREAKING NEWS: Bristol mall reopens after bomb threat

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 - 10:20 AM

BY Gary B. Gray

Bristol Herald Courier

UPDATE: 12:25 p.m.

BRISTOL, Va. - A search for possible explosive devices inside the Bristol Mall concluded at about noon today. Police said they found no evidence of explosives after a three-hour search. Employees are now going back inside and the mall is set to reopen at 12:30 p.m., according to Heather Hill, the mall's director of marketing.

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UPDATE: 10:36 a.m.

BRISTOL, Va. -- An explosives-detection unit from the Bristol Virginia Police Department has been brought in after a note was discovered on the employee bathroom door at J.C. Penney, a mall official said.

The Virginia State Police plans to bring in dogs to sweep the Gate City Highway mall.

The mall was evacuated at 9:33 a.m., but store employees and customers left in an orderly fashion.

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The Bristol Mall was evacuated around 10 a.m. today over a possible bomb threat.

About 100 customers were told to leave the store and were milling in the parking lot at the mall, on Gate City Highway.

[towerclimber37]

hahahahahahaha! I love it..you can almost hear the disdain in the reporters words...you guys were "milling about in the parking lot"...

ya don't get excited over things you can't control, and the things you CAN control..well, they get handled!

nice!

[The Rabbi]

Don't you old guys have anything better to do than make fake bomb threats?

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

When I saw the thread title, I thought "Oh Lord, who in the world did Mars threaten!?!"

[Marswolf]

Don't you old guys have anything better to do than make fake bomb threats?

If it was me, I'd use a real bomb.

[Marswolf]

Oh yeah, the report said we were milling around in the parking lot. Actually we were milling around just outside one of the mall entrances on the sidewalk.

We did notice that the firetrucks were stationed a few hundred yards away at Windy's and the other emergency vehicles were way out in the lot. Guess the emergency folks have to be careful and watch to see if the patrons die at the bomb site. And if you have to wait for violent death, you might as well enjoy a burger as you do it.

[Mike.357]

Was probably some employee at a store in the mall that was going to be late for work and had just been warned that " if you are late one more time this week you will be fired"

[saintsfanbrian]

Well, better to get bombed then fired.

[Marswolf]

Actually, they physically posted the bomb threat on the employee bathroom door in Penney's. At least that is the report in the paper. Who knows? All we heard was that it was on the door of the downstairs bathroom.

They just changed the security company at the mall - again. So the story may be f*cked up and it might have been one old security folks.

Mall security is a joke, of course. No guns. No weapons. Guess you could throw your radio at the perp. Better for a guard and patrons die than they shoot someone they shouldn't (or maybe should). I think one of the old guys got cut when trying to apprehend a shoplifter recently. They normally just hire the old guys when they change companies, but in this case they offered such low wages that all the old guys said "no." Makes you feel really secure.

The best security the mall has is that the public packs. But as I've indicated, if you don't pack, I feel no responsibility to protect you from a mad gunman. If you want to be saved, you need to pack too.

[Marswolf]

When I saw the thread title, I thought "Oh Lord, who in the world did Mars threaten!?!"

Dixie, if you ever hear a threat from me, it's too late.

[Guest SUNTZU]

speaking of mall security, I am looking for a vest that will stop multiple .338 rounds to the back.....

[Guest jackdog]

See old men don't fight, we just kill ya. Well glad your alright, Hate when my coffee and BS sessions get interrupted. But I was really relieved to know the emergency vehicles were out of harms way.

[Marswolf]

My initial response was to make sure the Kel-Tec was still in my back pocket and the spare magazine was in my left jacket pocket.

Rote is a good thing.

Edited February 16, 2008 by Marswolf

[Guest TargetShooter84]

UT had a bomb threat last week...it was rather interesting but again, its not common for HSS (Humanities Sciences) to get bomb threats but it was the first time in a long while. Mars, you must've called this in to help me get out of a exam?

[strickj]

Well we know one things for sure.Mars and his hooligan friends were causing trouble outside the mall again,danm kids,go skateboard somewheres else.