Bomb Threat Clears Seattle SuperSonics Game

Jan. 24, 2005
Police sweep searched building, but bomb threat was hoax

SEATTLE (AP) - Police ordered the evacuation of KeyArena immediately after Sunday night's Seattle SuperSonics NBA game, after a caller to the building's security office phoned in a bomb threat.

``They think it's a crank, but you never know,'' Sonics general manager Rick Sund said. ``For security purposes, we're going to clear the building. The police are coming in and they'll sweep it.''

The threat was called in by a man around 8:30 p.m., as the crowd was already leaving the building, police spokeswoman Debra Brown said late Sunday.

There was no official evacuation. Ushers ordered people out and the locker rooms and other areas were quickly cleared.

``The Seattle Police Department is currently conducting a precautionary sweep of the arena,'' Brown said. ``I do not anticipate that there will be anything new to report.''

Seattle beat the Utah Jazz 122-105.