A bomb threat forced hundreds of people to evacuate the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn on Saturday evening, interrupting a school fundraiser. A wedding reception at Eagle Tavern in Greenfield Village was also disrupted, according to WXYZ Channel 7.
Dearborn police said a search found no suspicious devices. A suspect had not been identified, and police said the investigation remained open. The Henry Ford said its venues resumed normal operations on Sunday, November 8, after police determined there was no ongoing threat to the institution.
Ivan Patiño, who was volunteering at the museum fundraiser with his wife, described confusion as guests began leaving around 7:45 p.m. He told 7 News Detroit that more than two hours remained in the event when people started moving toward the hallways and exits.
Patiño recalled hearing instructions for people to leave, but said he and his wife did not understand what was happening. The sudden departure caught them by surprise because they had not expected anything bad to happen during the evening. Police subsequently confirmed that someone had made a bomb threat.
The fundraiser was being held for Father Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor, where Patiño’s daughter is a student. A silent auction was part of the event, but Patiño said the evacuation left no opportunity to hold it. He stressed the importance of the fundraising effort, telling the station, “Many students depend on the scholarships.”
While disappointed by the disruption, Patiño said he understood that protecting people had to come first. He expressed relief that he and his wife were able to leave safely and that nobody was hurt. He also described struggling afterward to understand why someone would make such a threat.
Patiño said he wanted the person responsible to be brought before a judge and hoped the incident would continue to receive attention. His account reflected both frustration over the lost fundraising opportunity and concern that the threat should not simply be forgotten.
In its statement, The Henry Ford said the campus underwent a thorough review and inspection on Saturday evening before police reported that the threat was no longer ongoing. The institution thanked Dearborn responders for their swift response and credited their work with helping protect guests, volunteers and staff.
