Mall in Sherwood Park reopens hours after bomb threat prompts evacuation

A shopping centre on Sherwood Park’s north side reopened late Tuesday afternoon, hours after a bomb threat prompted its evacuation.

Police were asking residents to avoid the Emerald Hills Shopping Centre just before 1 p.m. Traffic was being routed away from the shopping centre but police said the Strathcona County Community Hospital was still accessible.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m., police provided an update and said the mall had “resumed normal operations” after no bomb was discovered.

“Staff at Visions Electronics received a phone call from an unknown person that there was an explosive in the store and immediately called police,” Strathcona County RCMP said. “The RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) and Edmonton Police Service EDU attended the scene and conducted a search of Visions and PetSmart.

“No explosives or suspicious items were located in Visions or any other stores in the Emerald Hills Shopping Centre.”

Police thanked the public for their co-operation while officers worked to ensure the area was safe.

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