Crime & Safety

Bomb Threat Leads To Evacuation Of Evanston Whole Foods

Police closed roads and called in a bomb squad to search the grocery store Monday.

Police closed downtown Evanston streets Monday in response to an anonymous bomb threat called into a Whole Foods grocery store.
Police closed downtown Evanston streets Monday in response to an anonymous bomb threat called into a Whole Foods grocery store. (Jonah Meadows/Patch, File)

EVANSTON, IL — Downtown Evanston roads were closed and a grocery store was evacuated Monday following an anonymous bomb threat, police said.

Employees and patrons of the Whole Foods, 1640 Chicago Ave., were evacuated shortly before noon, and Evanston police closed the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Church Street to traffic.

A bomb squad from the Cook County Sheriff's Office was called in and helped search the store, police said.

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Police gave the all-clear around 1:30 p.m. and lifted all traffic restrictions in the area.

"Detectives will continue to investigate this matter," police said in a tweet.

Find out what's happening in Evanstonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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