The Twin Falls Police Department helped to peacefully resolve what could have been a more serious situation on Thursday, Nov. 21, when an individual threatened harm to himself and others at the Magic Valley Mall.
Twin Falls police received information from Southern Idaho Regional Communications, or SIRCOM, regarding an male individual who called a mental health service and said he planned to shoot others at the mall at 1485 Pole Line Road East, before turning the gun on himself.
Security officers at the Magic Valley Mall evacuated the mall as a precautionary measure, while Twin Falls police officers searched the area for the individual matching the description.
Officers were able to locate the individual, who has a history of mental illness, near the Twin Falls Visitors Center, and take him into protective custody to ensure the safety of the public and the individual. He was taken into custody peacefully and without any harm to himself or others.
Officers did not find a weapon on the individual or in the vehicle in which he was traveling. However, the partnership among the Twin Falls Police Department, SIRCOM and private security at Magic Valley Mall likely prevented the individual from harming himself.