Police evacuated Springfield Town Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Tuesday afternoon after receiving a phoned-in bomb threat that claimed multiple explosive devices were hidden inside the shopping mall.
The Fairfax County Police Department said the call came in at 4:27 p.m. from an unknown number.
According to police communications cited by residents online, the caller claimed 20 pipe bombs had been placed throughout the mall, with some reports suggesting the caller also claimed snipers were positioned to target people as they evacuated. The call reportedly came through a non-emergency line using a voice disguiser.
Out of an abundance of caution, officers immediately began clearing the building and evacuating shoppers and employees from the property.
A Fairfax County police helicopter was seen circling above the mall during the operation, and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was brought in to search the property thoroughly.
Police Set Up Command Post Nearby
A command post was reportedly established at a nearby Silver Diner location as officers coordinated the search and evacuation.
The surrounding area, including nearby businesses, was also cleared as a precaution while crews worked through the property.
Members of the public were urged to avoid the area entirely while the operation was underway.
By around 6:25 p.m., the property had been cleared, and the situation was declared over, according to updates shared by residents monitoring police scanner traffic.
No injuries were reported, and police have not released information identifying the caller or confirming a motive.
In a statement, the department said officers responded to the mall for the reported threat and that the EOD unit conducted a full search of the premises as a safety measure.
WUSA9 reported that Fairfax County Police had not yet released the exact wording of the threat or determined who made the call.
Local residents took to social media and community forums to share updates throughout the evacuation, with many expressing frustration over the disruption while acknowledging that authorities were right to treat the threat seriously.
Some questioned why a person making a genuine bomb threat would call ahead and warn the location in advance, while others noted that local emergency response platforms showed little additional activity beyond the original fire alarm reported roughly an hour before the threat call.
Bomb Threats Carry Serious Legal Consequences in Virginia
Under Virginia law, making a bomb threat is classified as a Class five felony for adults. If the person responsible is found to be younger than 18 years old, the charge is instead treated as a Class One misdemeanor.
Authorities have not indicated whether they have identified a suspect or whether charges are pending in connection with Tuesday’s incident.
This is not the first time the mall has prompted safety concerns among nearby residents, though Tuesday’s threat appeared to be more serious in scale due to the specific claims made by the caller.
Police have not commented on whether the threat is believed to be credible or a hoax, though such threats are treated with full investigative resources regardless of suspected credibility.
Fairfax County Police said the investigation into the source of the threat remains active. No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday evening.
Police are continuing to ask the public to steer clear of the Springfield Town Center area while any remaining steps in the investigation are completed.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
