Plainfield shopping center closes early after online threat

The Shops at Perry Crossing in Plainfield was evacuated Friday night after bomb threats were posted on Facebook targeting the mall and its JC Penney store, police said.

Cameron Snyder, a loss prevention specialist at the JC Penney store, told The Indianapolis Star that the store was supposed to be open until midnight but closed early after threats were seen around 9 p.m.

The mall and the Carmike 18 movie theater on the property were evacuated by 10 p.m.

The Plainfield Police Department said the mall would reopen Saturday with an increased police presence.

The threat wasn't the first to disrupt life in the Plainfield area this week. Social media threats were also made against Danville and Franklin high schools.

The Plainfield Community School Corp. canceled classes on Thursday after a Facebook threat directly mentioned the high school, which is about 15 miles west of downtown Indianapolis.

Plainfield police issued the following statement Friday night:

"On Dec. 18 at approximately 9 p.m., the suspect/suspects from the threats at the Plainfield High School posted threats against the Shops at Perry Crossing on Facebook. The mall staff was contacted and made the decision to evacuate due to the threats. The Plainfield Police Department along with other agencies are taking every precaution possible to ensure the safety of the citizens while maintaining normal patrol operations throughout the Town of Plainfield. We plan to make every effort to have the mall reopen as soon as possible."

The Shops at Perry Crossing, formerly known as Metropolis Lifestyle Center, changed its name in November after undergoing an $11 million redevelopment.