Authorities dispatched a bomb squad to a Chick-fil-A in Texas after a suspicious package was reported near the establishment.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to a report by Times Record News, the incident occurred on Monday, February 3, close to a Chick-fil-A in Wichita Falls. A pedestrian called the police, identifying what they believed to be a suspicious package. Wichita Falls police said they received the report at about 4:40 p.m. Officers were dispatched and quickly cordoned off the area around 3704 Call Field Road.
The outlet explains that authorities also sent a bomb squad from Denton to deal with the package. Fortunately, officers determined the package was a false alarm and cleared the area shortly after.
Chick-fil-A Dealt With A Similar Incident Only Months Ago
Interestingly, this isn't the first time Chick-fil-A has dealt with a bomb threat. Per a report by TAPinto, the fast food chain made the news for almost precisely the same thing in October 2024.
In this incident, the Pohatcong Police Department responded to a report about a suspicious package outside a Chick-fil-A at 1194 US Highway 22 in Phillipsburg.
Detective Charlie McGuinness confirmed that his department responded to a bomb threat. Ultimately, the package turned out to be safe, and operations quickly resumed around the area.
Despite the potential of a false report, it's always better to be safe than sorry. In fact, the FBI advises anyone who encounters a suspicious package to call 911 or contact local law enforcement. If you suspect an item or package, the FBI says not to touch or open it. They also advise to keep away, stay vigilant for other similar items nearby, and not to use a cell phone around them.
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) releases yearly stats in their Explosive Incidents reports. According to their data from 2023, 6284 suspicious or unattended packages were reported that year. The vast majority of reports were about various items of luggage and briefcases. Book bags and purses are also often reported, as are 'suspicious containers.' There were also 3203 reports of bomb threats specifically. We don't have figures for 2024, but all of these numbers increased from 2022 to 2023.
