Fans of the southern rock band Blacktop Mojo had to wait an extra hour for their performance at the Castle Theatre in Bloomington on Friday after a search for a suspect forced an evacuation of the venue shortly before showtime.
Bloomington Police spokesperson Bryce Janssen said police were attempting to make a routine traffic stop near Clayton and Grove streets just east of downtown at about 6:25 p.m. when the suspect reportedly fled the scene on foot and retrieved what appeared to be a gun. Police later recovered the handgun in the area where the suspect fled.
Janssen said officers got word that the suspect may have entered the theatre, prompting the evacuation and a police search of the building.
Several dozen concertgoers were standing in nearby Withers Park and along Washington Street as they awaited word of what happened.
Castle Theatre owner Rory O'Connor said officers searched the entire building and its exterior and did not find the suspect. Police were seen leaving the scene shortly before 7:15 p.m.
“It may have been a mistaken identity. It might have been an intern of ours that somewhat fit the description and looked like he had some urgency behind his movement,” O’Connor said. “Anyway, back to normal.”
Janssen said the suspect remains at large and there’s no suspect description immediately available.
“There is no threat to the public,” he said.
Jason Williams, a bass guitarist for Cole Hollow, one of the bands set to perform, said they were getting dinner nearby when they learned of the evacuation.
“When we left everything was fine, when we came back, all hell had broken loose,” Williams said.
He was grateful to see the all-clear as officers left the scene and the band was going to be able to play after all.
“We’re going to rock a little harder,” he said.
