HOMOPHOBIC TERRORISM
Several Target stores in Oklahoma City metro briefly evacuated after bomb threat
Several Target locations in the Oklahoma City metro area were briefly evacuated Saturday afternoon after media outlets received what police described as "vague bomb" threats, police said. The threats come as the retail chain faces backlash over its Pride Month merchandise.
"Whether it's a hoax or not we have to take it seriously," said Sgt. Rob Robertson of the Oklahoma City Police Department. Robertson said Target stores in Yukon, Moore, Norman and Oklahoma City had been notified.
Oklahoma City television station KFOR reported that it had received the email, which listed several Target locations and claimed two had bombs inside.
"We are going to play a game," the email said, according to the station. "We hid the bombs inside some product items. The bombs will detonate in several hours, guess which ones have the bombs. Time is ticking."
The email included the date of April 19, 1995, the date of the Oklahoma City bombing, KFOR reported.
The Oklahoma City store at 5400 May Ave. reopened around 6:20 pm after about a two hour closure. The company said in a statement that all the stores had reopened.
“The safety of our team members and guests is our top priority," the statement said. "Law enforcement investigated claims regarding several stores in the Oklahoma City area today and determined these stores are safe. Our stores are currently open and operating regular hours.”
Target is among corporate brands that have come under fire from right-wing groups for supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Target stores in Utah, Ohio and Pennsylvania have also received bomb threats in recent weeks.
After critics posted videos of attacking LGBTQ+ Pride displays and confronting employees in Target stores in late May, the company held an emergency meeting and decided to remove or relocate some Pride merchandise to make them less visible in stores.
"Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year," the company said in a statement at the time. June is Pride Month.
KFOR reported that the threatenin emails went out to several newsrooms and state lawmakers. The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, does not appear to have received one.
Target bomb threats:Bomb threats made against Target stores in Utah, Ohio and Pennsylvania over Pride controversy
Target stores in at least five states receive
bomb threats over Pride items
THE HILL
Target stores in at least five U.S. states had to be evacuated over the weekend after receiving bomb threats, which tie into the recent backlash the U.S.-based retail chain received for its Pride Month merchandise.
The Washington Post reported on Monday that local news outlets in parts of Oklahoma, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Louisiana received emails from unknown individuals about bomb threats at the stores.
In one email sent to Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR, which is owned by Nexstar Media Group, the individual listed seven locations in and around the Oklahoma City area, claiming that two of the locations already had bombs in them, adding that they hid the bombs inside of products.
“The bombs will detonate in several hours, guess which ones have the bombs. Time is ticking,” the email reads, also ending with the date “4/19/1995,” the date of the Oklahoma City bombing.
Oklahoma City Police Department spokesperson Gary Knight said that several news outlets notified them about the emailed threats, adding that after evacuating the listed stores as a precaution, authorities didn’t find any suspicious items, according to the Post.
South Burlington, Vt. police chief Shawn Burke said that news outlets in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York all received the same email bomb threat over the weekend, which accused the retail chain of betraying the LGBTQ+ community, also naming the locations of four stores in the three states including South Burlington.
“I think it had quite an impact locally,” Burke said, the Post reported. “It makes people a little bit uneasy to think about what’s going on. We’re more and more seeing this type of behavior in terms of swatting at schools locally and in terms of stores like Target [nationally].”
The recent incidents come after Target received criticism for their LGBTQ+ initiatives, with the retail chain announcing last month that it removed some Pride Month merchandise in its stores after facing backlash from customers, citing concerns about their workers’ safety.
After the announcement, company stores in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Utah received bomb threats from people who were claiming to be unhappy with the removal of the Pride merchandise, the Post reported.
The Target controversy also follows Bud Light, which received backlash for its partnership with transgender actress and influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
The Hill has reached out to Target for comment and more information on the matter.
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