This story has been updated.

A Starbucks in St. George was evacuated Friday afternoon following reports of a bomb threat, according to police on the scene.

Shortly after noon, customers were removed from the coffee shop and the surrounding area, with police cordoning off the area while a K-9 unit was brought in to aid investigators.

A pair of nearby restaurants, a Carl's Jr. and a Smashburger, were also evacuated, along with several other neighboring retail stores.

Just before 4 p.m., police declared the scene safe and that all stores would reopen. It was determined the individual that called in the bomb threat was making a false threat.

Previously, a special police unit wearing protective gear was seen inspecting a trash can outside the shop.

The bomb squad investigated sent a unit dressed in explosive protection gear to the scene and didn't find anything, St. George police Officer Tiffany Atkin said.

Atkin said the threat was made via a phone call to employees, and that investigators were taking the threat "seriously."

Police officers with bomb-sniffing dogs were visible from a nearby gas station and made at least two sweeps of the shop and the surrounding area.

Atkin said one of the dogs indicated the trash can was suspicious, and police made the decision to bring in the bomb squad rather than another K-9 unit to ensure there wasn't any threat.

The shop is located outside the Shoppes at Zion shopping center, just off the northeast corner of the intersection of River Road and St. George Blvd.

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