In the wake of a suspected suicide bombing in Manchester, England at an Ariane Grande concert that left at least 19 dead and around 50 injured, Chicago police said Monday there was no known threat to the Chicago area.
"CPD is closely monitoring the incident in Manchester and we are in real-time communication with our federal partners," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.
Guglielmi encouraged residents to report suspicious activity to 911.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by this horrible tragedy," he said.
[NATL] Manchester Mourns Those Killed in Ariana Grande Concert Blast
U.S. officials briefed on the investigation say authorities suspect the incident in Manchester was conducted by a suicide bomber, NBC News reported. The Greater Manchester police said it was "being treated as a terrorist incident."
Chicago police confirmed Monday afternoon officers responded to Soldier Field in the 1400 block of South Museum Campus Drive after a threat was made to the location over the phone. Police said the call was bogus and the area was deemed safe and clear.
Local
"There is no nexus or known threat to the Chicago area," Guglielmi said.
Videos shared on social media show people bloodied and screaming from inside and around Manchester Arena. In at least one video, what sounds like an explosion is heard in the distance.
Greater Manchester police performed a controlled detonation in the area after a suspected second explosive device was found, but later reported it was "abandoned clothing."
"Emergency services still working at the scene of last nights incident at Manchester Arena and continue to ask public to avoid the area," Manchester police tweeted about 2:30 a.m. local time.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said the government was working to establish "the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack."
Initial reports from the scene relayed to U.S. officials note that a number of the casualties may be from a stampede that occurred after the incident, NBC News reported.
Grande tweeted hours after the carnage saying she felt "broken."
[[423754604, C]]
The Department of Homeland Security cautioned U.S. citizens to "heed direction from local authorities and maintain security awareness."
The department said it had no information that would indicate a "credible threat involving music venues in the United States."
Manchester Arena, which can hold 21,000 people, is the largest indoor arena in Europe, according to its website.
