Threat forces casino evacuation in Aurora

Hollywood Casino and nearby businesses were evacuated after a casino patron made threatening statements and the bomb squad was called in to investigate, according to the Illinois State Police.

A man entered the casino Tuesday afternoon and made statements that the employee perceived as a threat. The employee alerted casino security, which called 911. About 2:30 p.m., Illinois State Police detained the man, who has not yet been identified by authorities.

During the investigation, police discovered the man said he had parked a box truck in front of the casino. As a precaution, police evacuated the casino and surrounding businesses and closed westbound traffic on New York Street at North Broadway. The Kane County sheriff's bomb squad was called in to do a sweep, according to a news release issued Tuesday night by the Illinois State Police.

All roads were reopened about 8 p.m. according to the news release. A call to casino management went unanswered Tuesday night.

The man is in custody at the Aurora Police Department. Charges are pending, according to the state police.