Singer Patti LaBelle’s Saturday night concert in Milwaukee was cut short after a bomb threat caused police to clear the venue where she was performing.
LaBelle was in the middle of her show at the Riverside Theater when two men strode onto the stage. First, they took the mic stand away from the 78-year-old entertainer, then they began to forcefully walk her off stage.
“Hold up. Wait!” LaBelle said as one man took her arm, forcing her to drop a bouquet she was holding. At that point, a third man emerged to grab one of LeBelle’s arms and steer her away.
Patti LaBelle was taken off stage by security at a concert in Milwaukee tonight following a bomb threat pic.twitter.com/SeuCPrWVDj
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) December 11, 2022
“Tonight’s Patti LaBelle show at the Riverside Theater has been postponed following a bomb threat investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department,” concert organizer Pabst Theater Group said in a statement, according to CNN.
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“We are thankful for the efforts of the Milwaukee Police Department and our customers and staff for their safe and orderly exit. We are working with the artist to reschedule the show,” the statement said.
Milwaukee Police Capt. Warren E. Allen Jr. said that at 1:13 a.m. Sunday a search of the building had been completed, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
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“The building was searched by K9 units. No explosive devices were discovered. There is no threat to the public at this time.”
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Concert-goer Catherine Brunson said the incident took place at 9:24 p.m. and estimated the 2,500-seat theater was nearly full.
“Some people were sitting down, and some people got up and just started walking out. I was one of them. I was sitting down like, wait, did I just hear that, right?” she told WITI-TV.
“Somebody got on a microphone and said we have to evacuate the building because there was a bomb threat,” she said, according to the Journal-Sentinel.
“It’s a bummer. Yes. Yes. It was a lot of people mad, It was Christmas gifts for some people, birthday gifts for others,” Brunson told WITI.
“We came out and police had the block taped off. … A whole lot of people were pretty upset. … It’s scary,” she said according to the Journal-Sentinel.
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Scott Pierce, who was at the show, said the response to the threat “happened so quickly.”
“Everybody very calmly exited the theater in a disbelieving manner. I heard lots of comments about how sad it was that someone would pull such a pathetic stunt,” he said.
“Before the incident, the crowd was really enjoying Patti. Just sad that someone does this,” he said.
