An investigation continues after a strange package was found in the Oxford Mall parking lot Sunday evening.
Deputy Chief Kevin Stark of the Oxford Police Department said, “At approximately 6:30 p.m. the Oxford Police Department received a call about a suspicious package in the parking lot of the Oxford Mall.”
The Oxford Mall as well as surrounding businesses were evacuated after the package was found outside the Malco Oxford Studio Cinema.
“I was watching a movie when a Malco employee came in and told everyone to evacuate immediately,” said Austin Sigl, a junior criminal justice major from Atlanta, Ga. “We were led out the back door, then along the side of the building where we were able to get up the hill and away from the buildings.”
All of those in the mall at the time of the threat were evacuated out the back doors of the businesses and taken along the side of the building to safety according to Sigl.
“Everyone was relatively calm the whole time,” Sigl said. “The employees especially were relaxed and led us out of the building quickly and efficiently. No one was running for the exits or anything like that, there were just a lot of phone calls being made to friends and family.”
Sigl added that after being evacuated around 7:05 p.m., he and the rest of the evacuees were kept on site until 7:40 p.m. once names and phone numbers had been collected.
Businesses around the mall were evacuated as well, including Pizza Hut, which is located in front of the mall on Jackson Avenue. Employee Aussie Warren believes the situation was a prank rather than a serious threat.
“I think it’s some little kids trying to have some fun, it’s the middle of summer,” Warren said. “Who’s going to put a bomb in Oxford? There’s no one here.”
Stark said the responding officers deemed the package suspicious based on the circumstances. The area was secured and assistance was requested from the Tupelo Bomb Squad. There were no injuries to report.
“Once on scene the Tupelo Bomb Squad checked the package and deemed it safe,” said a statement from the OPD. “The Oxford Police Department and the University Police Department are continuing to investigate the incident.”
Other agencies that responded to the scene included the FBI, ATF, the Oxford Fire Department and Oxford Emergency Management.
