COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- Carmike Cinemas says police searched its movie theaters in several states for explosives after someone called in a bomb threat to its corporate headquarters in Georgia.
Carmike spokesman Terrell Mayton says company officials alerted the FBI after discovering the threat in a voicemail message Friday morning. He says the call was placed after hours Thursday by someone claiming to work for a contractor that provides janitorial services to Carmike.
Mayton said the call threatened specific theaters, but he could not say how many or in what states. News outlets reported police searches in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina.
No bombs were found. Mayton says most theaters were cleared before their first show times Friday.
Columbus police says the caller made a reference to the Sylvester Stallone movie "The Expendables 2" that opened Friday.
Carmike Cinemas Released this statement:
"On the evening of August 16th,
Carmike Cinemas received a non-specific telephoned bomb threat at our corporate
offices in Columbus, Georgia after hours.
We alerted community law enforcement officials and the FBI. Searches
have been completed at the affected theatres by members of law enforcement and
nothing was found.
A federal investigation is underway and Carmike is assisting
with this as well as in the many communities where we have theatres. If additional details on the investigation
are uncovered, we expect those to come from federal and local law enforcement
agencies.
All theatres affected by the threat have been
checked and deemed safe for use. Carmike Cinemas would like to express our thanks
to the law enforcement agencies that quickly responded and ensured the safety
of our guests."
