The threat came in as some people were watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Watch video
FREEHOLD -- Moviegoers were allowed back into the AMC Theatre in Freehold about an hour after a bomb threat forced evacuations during showings of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie, officials said.
Notes containing threats were found in the men's bathroom around 11:30 a.m., according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
The theater was evacuated, the building searched and no credible threat or explosives were found, officials said.
The theater was closed for about two hours and 15 minutes, officials said.
It was the second time this week that the theater had to be evacuated due to a threat. Earlier this week, the theater was evacuated after a threatening note was found, also in the men's bathroom. Police sweeps were negative.
UPDATE: Theater goers waiting to be let back into AMC Theatre in Freehold evacuated during #StarWars showing pic.twitter.com/ILucotwiRe
-- Fox5NY (@fox5ny) December 18, 2015
@kurtsiegelin was about 30 min into my showing when the lights went up & theater employees asked us to leave the theater due to an emergency
-- Frank Giummo (@FGiummo) December 18, 2015
A picture from the scene posted by FiOS1 during the evacuation showed a group of people mulling about outside while police lights can be seen in background.
#BREAKING: #AMC theater #Freehold evacuated during #StarWarsTheForceAwakens. Potential bomb threat. Pic: @FGiummo pic.twitter.com/JeKWrseZNa
-- FiOS1 New Jersey (@FiOS1NewsNJ) December 18, 2015
AMC in Freehold all clear, has re-opened. Star Wars fans going back inside
-- John Bathke (@JohnBathkeLive) December 18, 2015
Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
