Virginia police warn of possible threats to malls, shopping centers around Halloween
The FBI on Saturday declined to comment on the situation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fairfax, Virginia, Police Chief Kevin Davis on Friday warned of possible threats to local malls and shopping centers during Halloween weekend.
"Yesterday, we received information concerning potential public safety threats to malls and shopping centers across the region," Davis said during a Friday press briefing. "…As we work to corroborate it, we have increased our police presence throughout the county to include major thoroughfares, transit hubs, shopping plazas and shopping malls."
Fairfax Police Chief Kevin Davis (Fairfax police Facebook page) (Fairfax police Facebook page)
Davis, who declined to provide more specifics about the threat, added that his department is "always in constant communication" with its federal partners.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The department on Saturday said it had no updates on the unusual alert.
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The FBI on Saturday said it had "no comment" in a statement to Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Several floors of Pentagon City Mall in Virginia. (Photo by: Robert Knopes/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Robert Knopes/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Fairfax County police car (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP/ Getty Images)
"However, we would remind you the FBI takes all potential threats to public safety seriously, and we take all appropriate steps to determine the credibility of any information we receive," the agency said.
The Pentagon and the National Security Council referred Fox News to the FBI.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a Saturday statement that it "continues to work closely with federal, state, local, tribal, and non-government partners to rapidly share threat information and improve our ability to detect, evaluate, and mitigate targeted violence to the Homeland."
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The U.S. Secret Service said it "operates in an ever-evolving security environment, remaining in a constant state of readiness to execute our zero-fail protective mission and remaining an active and engaged partner within the regional law enforcement community."
The agency added, however, that it does not "discuss the means and methods used to conduct [its] protective operations or matters of protective intelligence" as a matter of practice when asked if it is boosting security in light of the news.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Officers were spotted patrolling shopping areas in northern Virginia on Friday, according to FOX 5 DC.