Austin police say no explosives found at H-E-B in Northwest Austin; one person arrested

This story has been updated with new information.

Austin police determined there was no explosive device at a Northwest Austin H-E-B after a bomb threat was reported Friday morning.

Police arrested Gerard Hayes, 43, on a felony terroristic threat charge after alleging he called 911 to report a bomb in his vehicle at the H-E-B, an Austin police officer said at a news conference Friday. Hayes was not arrested at the H-E-B.

Friday’s bomb threat was “a direct result” of an incident involving Hayes two days earlier, the officer said, but did not specify the nature of the incident.

Police had asked the public earlier Friday to avoid the area around the H-E-B at 7301 North FM 620 as they investigated a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot. Police said there is no longer a threat to the public.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: APD investigating bomb threat at Northwest Austin H-E-B