Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
After rumors of a credible terror threat on Black Friday in Tennessee circulated on Facebook, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took to social media to dispel those rumors.
“We have been made aware that there are some individuals posting information on Facebook, indicating that TBI is calling all police, fire and first responder services in Tennessee to alert them to a credible threat planned for Black Friday in Tennessee,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a Facebook post. “PLEASE BE AWARE that this information DID NOT originate from TBI, nor are Agents from TBI making such calls.”
The rumor originated with a Facebook post from a woman in Lincoln, Tenn. who works at an ambulance service company:
I received a call from the TBI just now. They are contacting all police, fire, and EMS services in TN. They said there is a credible threat planned for Black Friday in Tennessee. They advised me to inform everyone to be very careful during Black Friday Shopping, that there is a very real possibility of a terrorist attack. Please be very vigilant, don’t go shopping on Black Friday, just wait until Cyber Monday. For the TBI to call me on my personal cell, there must be something going on.
(And yes, I had his permission to post this.)
PLEASE SHARE THIS!!
This Facebook post has since been removed, but other Facebook users are still circulating the warning.
“While it is always a good idea to remain aware of your surroundings wherever you are, these reports on social media indicating calls are being made to law enforcement to inform them of a credible terrorist threat are unfounded and are not coming from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation,” the agency advised.
