Fairfax County police are currently investigating a reported bomb threat that prompted the evacuation of several businesses in downtown McLean.

The Fairfax County Police Department said just after 4:30 p.m. that officers had arrived at the 6800 block of Elm Street in response to the reported threat.

“Several nearby businesses elected to evacuate out of an abundance of caution,” the FCPD reported, advising people to avoid the area so that police could investigate the credibility of the threat.

Elm Street was closed between Dolley Madison Boulevard and Chain Bridge Road, as was Beverly Road between Old Dominion Drive and Fleetwood Road. Both streets have now reopened.

“Officers continue to investigate the circumstances of this reported threat,” police said.

Beverly Road and Elm Street are now open. Officers continue to investigate the circumstances of this reported threat.https://t.co/Jlwd3LhqMt

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) April 19, 2021

Police say a bomb threat last Friday (Feb. 8) came from a man working at the Westin Hotel next door.

Police swarmed the Provident Bank at 7799 Leesburg Pike, in the southeast corner of the Leesburg Pike-Beltway interchange near Tysons, after they say a man called the front desk of the bank saying there was a bomb in the building.

Police say the threat was vague with little credible information offered. A search of the building turned up no suspicious objects and the bank quickly resumed normal operations.

Police stayed on the scene and moved to the Westin Hotel as they investigated the source of the call.

“With assistance from hotel security, Jonathan Ramos, 30, of Lorton was identified and charged with making a bomb threat,” police said in a crime report.

Photo via Fairfax County Police

Updated at 2:25 p.m. — Police said at 2:20 p.m. that “at this time there is no evidence to substantiate the threat” after completing their search. The bank is resuming its normal operations. 

Earlier: Police are on the scene of a potential bomb threat at Provident Bank (7799 Leesburg Pike) in Falls Church.

Fairfax County Police said in a tweet this afternoon, below, that “a man called the bank indicating a bomb threat.”

Police told Tysons Reporter that the front desk was notified of a vague threat with very little credible information and after a search of the building no suspicious objects were found.

Following the threat, police remained at the scene to continue investigating the source of the call.

We have completed our search. At this time there is no evidence to substantiate the threat. The bank is resuming normal operations. #FCPDhttps://t.co/seUbHQuENL

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 8, 2019

Image via Google Maps 

A man accused of threatening to blow up the Starbucks in the Yorktowne Shopping Center, in the Falls Church section of Fairfax County, is due in court for a preliminary hearing next month.

David Velasquez, 28, is facing a felony charge of making a bomb threat in connection with the Saturday afternoon incident, which prompted the evacuation of the cafe and surrounding businesses. His preliminary hearing for the bomb threat charge is scheduled for Dec. 19, court records show.

If convicted on that charge, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Velasquez is also charged with being drunk in public. It’s the 10th time he’s been arrested and charged with being drunk in public in Fairfax County so far this year, according to General District court records.

More on the bomb threat from a Fairfax County Police Department press release:

A 28-year-old Fairfax man is facing charges for threatening to bomb a Starbucks in the Yorktowne Shopping Center around 4 p.m. on Saturday.  David Velasquez was drunk and passed out inside the Starbucks, located at 8104 Arlington Boulevard when an employee woke him and asked him to leave.  Velasquez refused and said he had a bomb in his backpack that would explode in two minutes.  He then went inside the bathroom and would not come out.

Employees immediately evacuated the business and called 9-1-1.  Our officers arrived and asked adjoining business to evacuate as a precaution.  Negotiations were attempted for almost 70 minutes before Velasquez finally walked out of the front door and was arrested. Due to his level of intoxication, Velazquez was taken to an area hospital to be medically treated.  Velasquez was then taken to the Adult Detention Center, where he was charged with threats to bomb or damage buildings , and being drunk in public.  He was held on no bond.  Our Explosive Ordinance Division responded and examined the backpack, which did not contain any hazardous items.