Redondo Beach Pier evacuated, closed for hours due to bomb threat, U.S. Coast Guard says
Authorities closed and evacuated the Redondo Beach Pier on Sunday morning due to a bomb threat that's now believed to be a hoax, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Redondo Beach Police Department issued a statement ordering the evacuations just after 11 a.m., and later said in a news release that they were called for reports of a hostage situation that possibly involved explosives.
"Police Activity on the Pier. Anyone in the area of the pier is requested to evacuate safely," the statement said. "Please stay away from the pier area until further notice."
An 11:57 a.m. update confirmed that the pier was closed until further notice.
The pier was later reopened just after 1:30 p.m., after explosive detection canines cleared the area, police said.
"Detectives continue to investigate the incident. Police say preliminary information indicates this was an isolated event and there is no known ongoing threat," said Redondo Beach PD's news release. "The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted Redondo Beach police with the investigation."
The U.S. Coast Guard later told CBS LA that it was a reported bomb threat that caused the evacuations. A spokesperson said it was believed to be a hoax, although the scene remained under active investigation as of 3 p.m. as a precaution.
Sunday is the final day of the BeachLife Festival taking place nearby, originally scheduled to begin at 12:20 p.m., with musical acts such as Sheryl Crow and James Taylor set to perform in the evening. Organizers delayed doors opening for more than an hour before posting an update to social media that they could open up "momentarily" at about 1:45 p.m.
"Per the direction of local safety officials, we have been given the go ahead to safely open doors momentarily," the post reads. "We appreciate the patience from our community and look forward to a wonderful of day of sun, fun, and great music."
A representative for the festival said some set times would change as a result, with shows officially scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. with no further delays expected.
"There was no threat made to BeachLife, but out of an abundance of caution, they want to ensure that the area is safe before thousands of people enter," said a statement from Redondo Beach City Council member Brad Waller.
No additional details were immediately made available.
