The famous Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel was shut down Monday afternoon when a suspect scaled the amusement ride and claimed to have a bomb.
Fortunately for the riders on the Ferris wheel, including children, the bomb threat proved to be false.
“We have a subject who has climbed onto the Ferris Wheel. The subject was heard by witnesses saying he has a bomb,” the SMPD said in a statement released online. “Our officers are currently evacuating Pacific Park and the Pier and our Crisis Negotiation Team is contacting the subject who appears to be in crisis. Further updates will be provided via SMPD social media channels.”
BREAKING: There are around 10 people including children on Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier in California as well, firefighters are on the scene, police are trying to negotiate the bomber seems to be some Asian guy (unconfirmed). No charges are on the person yet. #SantaMonica pic.twitter.com/meokH4XZsW
— EvoCentral (@evocentralnews) October 9, 2023
Santa Monica police would later post that the suspect was in custody and that no bomb or incendiary device was located. The man was transported to a local hospital “for evaluation,” the SMPD added.
The moment he was taken into custody can be seen here:
UPDATE: Police officers have arrested the person who climbed Ferris Wheel in Santa Monicapic.twitter.com/2kKX7PJD7Z
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) October 9, 2023
Here is additional footage of the man perched on the ride, before police convince him to come down:
#BREAKING: The Santa Monica Pier has been evacuated after a man claiming to have bomb climbed onto Ferris wheel
⁰#SantaMonica | #California ⁰
Numerous authorities are currently on the scene in Santa Monica California, after a man, who claims to be armed with a bomb, climbed… pic.twitter.com/Qm725iNK4z— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) October 9, 2023
“There’s a mom on there with two small children. It’s so scary,” Brooke Martelli told the Daily Mail.
“They have been on there for over a[n] hour. Thank goodness we weren’t on the Ferris Wheel,” she added. “We were going to go on it, but then we were told we had to leave the amusement park. This is crazy. I just worry about the young kids on there.”
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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