Silver Lake Mall evacuated in Coeur d’Alene after bomb threat, police say

UPDATE: May 1, 2026 at 10:40 p.m. In a press release shared by the Coeur d'Alene Police Department (CDAPD) on Friday night, authorities reported that the bomb threat incident appeared to be a case of "swatting." CDAPD officers first responded with Kootenai County Sheriff's Office deputies and Idaho State Police troopers around 3:50 p.m. to Blacksheep Sporting Goods in the Silver Lake Mall, after reportedly recieving a threatening call made with the store's phone. "The caller claimed he was in the parking lot and threatened to enter the store within 30 minutes with a rifle and explosive device to harm people," CDAPD Sergeant Jared Reneau said. Law enforcement arrived at the scene and secured the parking lot, before conducting an "exhaustive" search for the suspect with assistance from the Kootenai County regional SWAT team. Authorities did not locate a suspect, and began to evacuate the mall as the Spokane Bomb Squad was requested for assistance. For nearly two hours, law enforcement cleared the mall and continued searching for a suspect. By 6:30 p.m., the search was called off and authorities determined that the incident was most likely a "swatting" call. "The safety of the community remains our highest priority, and all threats are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated," Sergeant Reneau stated. COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Silver Lake Mall is being evacuated after an alleged bomb threat Friday afternoon. Coeur d’Alene Police Captain David Hagar told NonStop Local that just before 4 p.m., a person called the mall’s administrative office threatening gun violence and claiming to have a bomb. Hagar said officers from multiple agencies responded and are evacuating the mall while checking vehicles in the parking lot. Police said there is no information indicating the threat is credible, but out of an abundance of caution, officers are treating it as real. Authorities also said there has been a high number of “swatting” calls in Idaho recently, and this incident may be related. This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Article originally published May 1, 2026 at 4:39 p.m.