Boston Shopping Mall Evacuated After Umbrella Mistaken For Gun

The Burlington Mall near Boston was evacuated after two reports of a man with a rifle was spotted inside a Nordstrom department store.

The reports triggered a massive police response which closed the mall for more than two hours as police and SWAT team wearing body armor carrying shields searched for the armed man. All was good however, as it turned out the man was an employee of the Lahey Clinic, a nearby hospital, who had stopped at the mall before work and was carrying an umbrella.

State police and the clinic said the man called police as soon as he realized he fitted the description of the person being sought. Police questioned him and determined he was not a threat.

The male does not have a weapon. He was reportedly holding an umbrella,” state police said in a statement.

“Witnesses and surveillance footage confirm that this is the person who was seen in the mall.”

In a statement, the clinic said the employee “is pleased he took appropriate action and contacted the police, however, he feels terrible about the situation.”

I guess nobody saw Batman Returns where Penguin carried just an umbrella gun.

Source: Myfoxboston