Fredonia Police Respond to Bomb Threat with Evacuation | News, Sports, Jobs

Just before 8 a.m. Thursday, Fredonia police received a 911 call reporting that an occupant of a vehicle with a passenger seat was honking the horn of a vehicle. The vehicle, a red SUV, was parked in front of the Crosby’s Gas Station and Convenience Store at 44 East Main Street in downtown Fredonia.

When Fredonia Police officers arrived on the scene, the vehicle’s horn was still blaring. Officers approached the vehicle and noticed towels and blankets hanging from the inside of the vehicle, obstructing the view into the vehicle.

“Officers made verbal contact and determined that an adult male and female were in the back seat of the vehicle. Both occupants were removed from the vehicle and both stated that there was a bomb in the vehicle.” Fredonia police said in a press release.

The immediate area around the vehicle was evacuated and a section of East Main Street was closed.

Bomb technicians from the Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Hazardous Materials Division used robots to examine the vehicle and its contents. A Chautauqua County Sheriff’s K9 unit was then deployed to search the vehicle.

The crime scene was secured after a thorough search of the vehicle. An air rifle was discovered in the vehicle, which was used to operate the vehicle’s horn. According to the emergency call, no shotgun was found in the vehicle.

Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone told the OBSERVER: “emotional stress” about the people in the vehicle probably played a role in the incident. He was not aware of any threats against officials or businesses in the area, but the people believed there was a bomb in the vehicle, which was not the case.

Fredonia Police were assisted by members of the Town of Dunkirk Police Department, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, Fredonia University Police, New York State Police, Chautauqua County Fire Department and Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office. The Fredonia Fire Department was also notified and placed on standby.

“It was a great cooperation and collaboration between several different agencies working together to ensure the safety of the community,” said Quattrone.

Fredonia Police thank the public for their cooperation during the evacuation. Police expect charges to be filed after the investigation is complete.