Police: Man threatens Provo mall with false bomb threat after being fired

PROVO, Utah — A man is in police custody after allegedly calling in a bomb threat to his former employer after being fired Tuesday.

Bryan Eric Lind, 43, was booked into the Utah County Jail for one felony charge of making a false alarm of a bomb threat and one misdemeanor charge of failing to stop a command of law enforcement, according to the affidavit.

Provo Police responded to the Provo Towne Center Mall after building managers called about a bomb threat made towards the building by Lind.

Lind texted his former employer that there was a bomb inside the mall after being told he was fired, according to police.

Police began to search for Lind, found him walking down a road outside his home, and attempted to contact him.

Provo PD officers gave Lind verbal commands to stop walking, but he continued to ignore them, according to the affidavit.

“[Lind] was again advised to stop and get on the ground but failed to comply and began to accelerate his pace in which he was walking,” reads the affidavit. “He was taken to the ground where he attempted to initially pull away but gave up placing his hands above his head.”

He was then handcuffed and placed in police custody without further incident.

Lind was taken to the Provo Towne Center Mall for further questioning about the bomb threat that was made with his phone, according to police.

“Before I could advise him of his rights, [Lind] said that he was fired because [the employer] thought he was intoxicated because he asked an individual if he [had] down syndrome,” states the affidavit.

The affidavit does not give the employer reasoning for firing Lind.

After advising Lind of his rights, he admitted to texting his employer the bomb threat and said it was sarcasm, according to police. He was then booked into jail.