Police officers evacuated the Santa Monica Pier on Monday afternoon due to a bomb threat.
Photos shared to social media showed the area being closed by Santa Monica police, and the city’s official Twitter account sent a message on Monday afternoon urging people to avoid the pier and the neighboring Ocean Avenue due to “police activity.”
KABC reported that aerial footage showed a bomb robot sweeping the parking lot after it was evacuated. The threat was cleared after just over an hour later.
The scare came after police received bomb threats via two phone calls, one from Culver City and the other from Hawthorne.
A popular Los Angeles tourist attraction, the Santa Monica Pier has been featured in films including “Iron Man,” “Titanic,” “Forrest Gump” and “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”
https://twitter.com/dinkelhaha/status/907380403626958848
https://twitter.com/jimmyalto/status/907387827477929984
#LASD SEB Tactical Bomb Techs & Air Rescue 5 Tac Medics on scene Santa Monica Pier assisting @SantaMonicaPD with suspicious vehicle. pic.twitter.com/5KhUtgefVa
— SEB (@SEBLASD) September 12, 2017
Video taken at the beach shows unidentified helicopter landing on sand on beach near Santa Monica Pier https://t.co/OsM7o01wEH
— RT America (@RT_America) September 12, 2017
SMPD can confirm a bomb threat was received regarding the Santa Monica Pier. Please continue to stay away. More info to follow.
— Santa Monica Police (@SantaMonicaPD) September 12, 2017
Santa Monica Police activity around the Santa Monica Pier. Please evacuate and avoid the entire Pier area and Ocean Ave. #SMAlert pic.twitter.com/Chw6KYA5Bl
— City of Santa Monica (@santamonicacity) September 11, 2017