Authorities Say ‘Credible Danger’ From Bomb Threat Caused Rascal Flatts Show Evacuation
Authorities in Indianapolis are calling the bomb threat that shut down a recent Rascal Flatts show a "credible danger" after it caused the concert site to be evacuated.
The award-winning trio were near the end of their concert on Thursday, Aug. 9, at the Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center outside of Indianapolis when the bomb threat took place. They had left the stage and were preparing to return for their encore when the order came to clear the building. When fans were told to evacuate the venue due to an unspecified security concern, many were confused and some were even angry.
One concertgoer shot some video of the chaos that ensued. In the clip, the piano player plays a short section from the next song before stopping abruptly:
Sheriff Mark Bowen says authorities took "appropriate action" because the bomb threat was deemed a "credible danger," the Indianapolis Star reports. In a news release, the Sheriff's Office didn't comment on how the threat was made or reported. There have been no arrests made in connection to the bomb threat so far.
Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus turned to social media after the concert evacuation to share a message with the fans who had been disappointed.
“Indianapolis, Due to a security concern at the show last night, standard procedures were quickly executed and everyone was able to safely leave the building,” he wrote, adding the hashtag #backsoon. “The safety of our fans, band and crew is always the top priority for us, sorry for anyone that was disappointed."
Concert security fears are much higher in the wake of the mass shooting that took place at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas in October of 2017, and Rascal Flatts are not alone in being targeted. In July, the Avett Brothers were forced to stop a concert after a man walked into the venue with a gun.
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