Bogus bomb call sparked evacuation of St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG – A bogus call from a man claiming to have a bomb forced the sudden evacuation of St. Vital Centre Wednesday, Winnipeg Police say.

Shoppers were hustled out of the south Winnipeg shopping mall shortly before 6 p.m., and some were told to shelter in the back of stores while heavily armed police units responded and entered the mall.

READ MORE: Threat caused evacuation of St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg: police

Police said Thursday morning that the scare was sparked by a false report of an “armed male.” A source tells Global News that the mall first received a call claiming that a number of men with guns and bombs were in the mall.

“Someone reported this and was trying to sound legit,” Winnipeg Police Cst. Eric Hofley told Global News.

Police found no evidence of a threat at St. Vital Centre – the second largest shopping mall in Winnipeg – and shoppers were allowed back in by 6:30 p.m.

READ MORE: OPP charge teen in relation to “swatting” incidents

The incident is similar to a series of incidents in Ontario known as “swatting” where false reports of armed intruders are called in to 911 in hopes of sparking a major police response.