HOLYOKE — A bomb threat that police determined was a hoax forced the Holyoke Mall to delay opening for several hours on Thursday.
The mall’s security team called the Holyoke Police Department at 8:50 a.m. to report an email they received containing a “bomb threat,” according to Holyoke Police Captain Matthew Moriarty. Police detectives responded to the threat, along with the State Police Bomb Squad, and the mall’s opening was delayed until 1 p.m.
“It was determined to be a hoax,” Moriarty said. “Or what we call ‘swatting,’ which is trying to get a police response.”
The bomb squad inspected the building to determine there was no actual bomb threat.
Holyoke Police are investigating the incident and seeking a suspect, according to Moriarty. He said there have not been similar “swatting” incidents in the city’s recent past.
“It was decided, along with mall security, to delay the opening of the mall to assess the threat correctly,” Moriarty said.
Luis Fieldman can be reached at lfieldman@gazettnet.com.