A concert by the hip-hop band The Roots at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin was canceled because of a hoax bomb threat, local officials have confirmed.
Organizers decided to cancel the event as fans were queuing outside to see a concert, after receiving a threat claiming that a bomb had been planted in the venue.
Police consequently swarmed the venue to determine whether the threat was credible, although a statement from Gov. Greg Abbott’s office confirmed that “no threat was found.”
Bud Light, who organized the concert, said in a statement said that the cancellation was a “difficult decision” but it was ultimately the “best course of action to ensure the safety of our guests, staff, and artists.”
“We are truly sorry to have to cancel the event, but we felt it was necessary to take all safety precautions,” the company added.
Authorities later arrested 26-year-old Trevor Weldon Ingram on third-degree felony charges for making a terrorist threat, and confirmed that there was no evidence of “any broader security concern for any activities related to this incident.”
The incident comes despite a concerted effort from organizers to increase security at the festival following a number of security incidents at concert venues, including attacks at the Country Music Festival in Las Vegas and an Ariana Grande concert in Britain.
It also comes amid growing concern in Austin over a string of bomb attacks that have killed two people and injured two others. Police are yet to publicly identify a suspect.
Follow Ben Kew on Facebook, Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.
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