Threat of violence closes Grand Cinema in Tacoma, police, theater officials say
A verbal threat of violence has resulted in the Sunday closure of the Grand Cinema in Tacoma, according to police and theater officials.
The director of operations for the movie theater announced the closure on social media.
“Due to an ongoing threat and safety issue to the theater, we are now cancelling all shows for today,” the post reads.
“Tacoma PD has been working with us to ensure everyone is safe. We prioritize the safety of our patrons, volunteers and staff and feel it’s necessary to stay closed for today. We are very sorry to disrupt your choice to see a film with us, but we hope you’ll understand.”
The threat was received Saturday night, said Tacoma police Officer Shelbie Boyd.
About 7:45 p.m., the theater received a verbal threat of violence over the phone, she said. She declined to go into specifics about the threat because detectives are now investigating it.
Patrol was busy at the time of the call on Saturday, so they took a phone report about it, then a sergeant followed up by visiting the theater. The sergeant met with staff and did a walk through of the property, she said.
Police also checked the theater early Sunday morning, Boyd said.
The theater is issuing refunds for Sunday’s shows, according to the social media post.
“Please be patient while the team starts issuing refunds,” the post reads.
“If you do not receive one by the end of the day, please contact us at info@grandcinema.com, and we will get to you as soon as we can.”
