Ashland Police: Bomb threat at gas station Sunday was hoax

ASHLAND — Police say a note stating there was a bomb in the Circle K at the Irving gas station on West Street was a hoax. While no charges have yet been filed, evidence is pointing to identifying a person of interest.

Ashland Police and the State Police Bomb Squad responded to the Circle K on Sunday, after an employee discovered a handwritten note with a bomb threat. The note was found when the store opened at 4 a.m. Staff called the police at 10:49 a.m. on Oct. 18, according to Police Chief William Ulwick.

Ulwick said the area was evacuated as an officer conducted a search.

“Nothing suspicious was found,” Ulwick wrote in an email on Monday morning. “Out of an abundance of caution, a State Police Bomb Squad K-9 was requested and searched the area. There was no threat found and the store re-opened.”

Lt. Nicholas Raymond wasn’t working on Sunday, but was in contact with the responding officer as the situation unfolded. He said on Monday an employee found a note about a bomb, and had other information he could not discuss because it is an open investigation.

Raymond said it seemed like it was “obviously a hoax,” but police did their due diligence by calling in the bomb squad.

“This day and age, whenever there is a threat made, public safety is the No. 1 priority,” Raymond said.

Raymond said the bomb squad arrived at 12:45 p.m., and cleared the building of a threat at 1:06 p.m. on Sunday. Police left the scene shortly after, and the store reopened. A spokesperson for State Police deferred all questions to Ashland Police, who are leading the investigation.

At about 5 p.m., vehicles were back at the gas pumps, and customers were flowing steadily in and out of the store. The store clerk declined to comment.

A voicemail was left at Circle K was not returned.

Raymond has been with the department for about a year, and this is the first time he's encountered a bomb threat in Ashland. He said these types of incidents do happen across the state, sometimes resulting in fake threats.

“You have to treat every instance like it is credible until you deem it is not,” Raymond said.

Raymond said the initial priority for police is to determine credibility. After that, the next move is to hold those accountable, for a threat or a hoax. He said a bomb hoax not only ties up resources — in this case, both local and state — but temporarily closed a local business.

“It makes a major impact on the town,” Raymond said.

Raymond did not say specifically when the note was left. The store closed at 11 p.m., and reopened the next morning, which is a timeline police are following. Police are reviewing surveillance video and conducting interviews.

“I wouldn’t say we are at the point where we developed a definitive suspect, but there is evidence that points to a specific individual,” Raymond said.

Raymond said there is no threat to the public. The incident is being investigated by the Ashland Police Department.

Anyone with information to help the investigation can call Ashland Police at 603-968-4000.