Crime & Justice

Bomb threats called into Alaska Wal-Mart stores prompt evacuations

A Wal-Mart store in Kodiak was evacuated Wednesday after a bomb threat, the Kodiak Police Department reported. It was the second threat to an Alaska Wal-Mart store in as many days, after the store in Eagle River received a similar threat Tuesday morning.

In a release, Kodiak police said the store was evacuated as a precaution Wednesday morning after employees of the Wal-Mart passed along the report of a bomb threat. The Kodiak Daily Mirror reported the threat was delivered by phone.

Erin Hoffman, a spokesperson for Wal-Mart, said the store was cleared for about an hour, beginning shortly after 7 a.m.

About 30 employees and six customers were in the store at the time, she said. The store had opened just moments before the threat was called in.

A search of the store was conducted and nothing suspicious was found, Kodiak police said.

A nearly identical scene played out Tuesday morning at a Wal-Mart in Eagle River, Anchorage police confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

According to Anchorage Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Castro, an employee at the Eagle River store called police around 6:20 a.m., "reporting they received a call from what sounded like a young male stating there were two bombs in the bathrooms of the store."

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The store manager cleared the store, which is open 24 hours. Police responded and searched the store, allowing it reopen after giving the all-clear around 7 a.m., Castro said.

Kodiak police are asking anyone with information about Wednesday's threat to call 907-486-8000. Citing the ongoing investigation, KPD was not providing additional details Wednesday.

A Wal-Mart in Wasilla was also evacuated in February 2014 after receiving a threat, prompting a two-hour-long closure.

Ben Anderson

Ben Anderson is a former writer and editor for Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2017.

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