The Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) has revealed that a bomb threat at a local casino turned out to be a hoax.

falsely told emergency services that the building would be the site of an explosion

Pure Casino Lethbridge was evacuated on Thursday evening after somebody falsely told emergency services that the building would be the site of an explosion.

Casino security found a suspicious device, which investigators discovered contained no explosives.

The police department labeled it as a “swatting” incident, a term used when people make a false claim to police about a serious incident, resulting in law enforcement unpleasantly surprising unsuspecting victims. Such hoaxes can result in a public mischief charge, which can lead to a fine or up to five years in a Canadian prison depending on the severity of the crime.