RCMP Cpl Bill Parmar updates the media on events at Orchard Park Thursday evening

Photo: Carmen Weld - Central Okanagan - Castanet Employees and shoppers at Orchard Park wait outside after the mall was evacuated Thursday evening

UPDATE: 1:00 A.M.

Police have now released the Orchard Park Mall and it's parking lot after searching the entire mall and grounds. No details have been released on whether a bomb was found after a threat earlier in the evening. Police continue to investigate the incident and will provide more details Friday.

UPDATE 8:00 P.M.

According to Cpl. Parmar of the Kelowna RCMP, they have secured all of the stores inside the mall and are now searching each one individually. He was unsure where the call of a bomb threat originated from, but says the call did not threaten any specific area of the mall.

"There is no specific threat made to any specific store, which obviously caused some concern here.," says Cpl. Parmar.

"And obviously the safety of the public and of the members (of the RCMP) is paramount."

Earlier reports of witnesses seeing members of the RCMP running through the mall with guns drawn was incorrect.

With files from Carmen Weld

UPDATE 7:30 P.M. - Keyholders of stores at Orchard Park are being asked to stay at the scene in case they are required at a later time. Police are bringing in a Kelowna Transit bus to help keep those people warm.

UPDATE 7:10 P.M. - At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, a bomb threat was called in for the Orchard Park Mall.

Police deemed the situation to be a credible threat and evacuated the mall.

Patrons exited in an orderly fashion and no one has been injured.

The Kelowna RCMP, along with at least one dog team are systematically searching each business in the mall, and keyholders are staying on hand through the process.

We'll have more details when they become available.

UPDATE 6:50 P.M. - Castanet News has learned RCMP have bomb sniffing dogs inside the mall. Police are gathering up keys for each business from the various keyholders and will search store by store for a bomb.

UPDATE: 6:35 P.M. - Kelowna RCMP have issued a brief press release regarding the ongoing situation at Orchard Park Mall.



Kelowna RCMP are currently dealing with a police situation at Orchard Park Mall. The mall is being evacuated and will remain closed for the remainder of the night. Police are requesting people to stay away from Orchard Park Mall and the surrounding immediate area. This will assist the police operations currently under way.



Once this situation has been resolved an update will be provided.

Shoppers and employees at Orchard Park Mall have been evacuated for what is being termed a police incident.

Details at the moment are sketchy, however, some employees say they saw members of the RCMP's gang task force running through the mall with guns drawn.

Employees who spoke with Castanet say they understand a store was apparently threatened.

The threat was apparently a bomb threat.

Several RCMP vehicles are at the mall.

Castanet has a reporter on scene.

More details when they become available.