Bomb scare in Niagara Falls

Three separate events were halted at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls as a result of a bomb threat. While many of the patrons were nervous and frustrated, some think they know what was behind the threat.

As police arrived at the Scotiabank Convention Centre, it was obvious that this was more than event security. They quickly entered the building and began to check the washrooms.

Wayne Bergen is a gamer: “Three policemen showed up, two of them had shotguns on their, on their backs, and they were asking guys in stalls if they were making phone calls from their cell phone and who they were talking to.”

Police had received a call that a man was barricaded in one of the stalls, with an AK-47, and that there were bombs throughout the building. At around seven o’clock the centre was evacuated, and crowds were slowly herded away from the glass face of the building. Few had information.

Carlos Flores is a gamer: “I asked one of the guys that was walking out with a walkie talkie, I said whats going on? He’s like I hear it’s a bomb threat — they want us to leave the building and go as far as possible away from the building.”

The K-9 unit did a sweep while paramedics showed up to keep a perimeter. There were three events being held at the time of the call. A dance competition, the Niagara food and wine show, and a video game tournament. One of the players from that event says that the bomb threat is a prank, known as a swat attack. Common during gaming conventions.

Doug Martin is a professional gamer: “It’s happened before, it’s happened before in the past and it’s happening right now too.” At other gaming events? “Ya at other gaming events, most recently was at University of Georgia, Philly 4 months ago — now it’s happening here.”

As predicted, the threat was found to be non existent and patrons were allowed back in just before nine.

And because this turned out to be a hoax, a representative from the food and wine show says that anyone who did go home early and had a hand stamp or a ticket that was not honoured, they can come back throughout the weekend and it will in fact be hounored. They don’t want anybody missing out because of one unfortunate incident.