One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Today in Bomb Threats & Suspicious Packages: Beverly Hills Drugstore and Fullerton Del Taco
It seems a day cannot go by without phony bomb threat phone calls or suspicious packages halting business and life as usual, and there were two more such incidents in L.A. and the OC today.
In Beverly Hills, a call about a bomb at a Rite Aid drugstore on Canon Drive led to a shutdown of streets and an investigation by police, who ultimately deemed the whole thing baseless. The Beverly Hills PD used Twitter to keep people apprised of the situation:
We are investigating a bomb threat at the Rite Aid 300 N Canon drive. Officers are on scene. Numerous streets are closed, update soon.
— Beverly Hills Police (@BeverlyHillsPD) April 19, 2013
Update Rite Aid incident- No device found, the streets are open.
— Beverly Hills Police (@BeverlyHillsPD) April 19, 2013
Down in Fullterton at a Del Taco fast food restaurant this morning, an employee found a package with wires sticking out of it, apparently to make it look like a bomb, Fullerton police Sgt. Jeff Stuart said, according to City News Service.
Two more suspicious bags were found at the scene by investigating authorities, but all three items were deemed to be harmless.
Stuart noted that likely the prankster was inspired by the Boston Marathon bombings, which was why they chose now to pull the stunt, remarking: "They're trying to get attention and they got it, unfortunately." Things have since gotten back to normal at Del Taco, where the only bombs are the ones going off in your gut.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
