By John Dobberstein, Editor
Investigation of a suspicious object found at First Baptist Church Broken Arrow forced the cancelation of Sunday services, but no explosive device was present, the Broken Arrow Police Department.
BAPD responded to the church Sunday morning following a report of a suspicious object. Officers located the object, secured the surrounding area and requested assistance from the Tulsa Police Department Bomb Squad to further assess the situation.
The Bomb Squad safely took possession of the object for further examination, and no explosive device was found, police said. Further investigation determined that there is no indication that it was placed with harmful intent.
No injuries were reported and no additional threats were identified.
Eric Vaughan, the church’s executive pastor, said an unidentified package was found at the south worship entrance by employees arriving early this morning, “that raised concern.” Church officials contacted BAPD, which, after conversing with TPD, advised further investigation was needed.
“Out of an abundance of caution and with the safety of our church family in mind, we made the decision to cancel today’s services,” Vaughan said in a statement Sunday after the incident concluded. “At the conclusion of this morning’s investigation there was no cause for concern and the situation has been resolved to a positive conclusion.
“We are deeply grateful for the swift and professional response of BAPD and TPD. We stand firmly behind these departments and their commitment to protecting our community.
“Please know that every decision made this morning was guided by our responsibility to care for each and every one of you. The safety and well-being of our church family, guests, and staff will always be among our highest priorities. While canceling services is never a decision we take lightly, we will always err on the side of caution when it comes to protecting our people.”
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