Fans waiting in line to watch Doja Cat perform in Indianapolis Saturday (Jan. 7) were asked to briefly disperse after a man made a bomb threat, The Indianapolis Star reports.
According to the outlet, Indianapolis police responded to the bomb threat near Monument Circle just before 5 p.m. The crowd that was in line to see Doja Cat perform, as part of the College Football Playoff outdoor concert series, was asked to clear the area for about 20 minutes while police apprehended the concertgoer who made the threat.
In a statement to the Indy Star, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officer William Young said the man made the bomb threat so he could get ahead in the line as the temperatures in Indy hovered around 34 degrees.
Officer Young also stated that the man is now in police custody, and there was no bomb or threat to the community. “A fan wanted to advance in line so he exercised very poor judgment and told those around him in line he had a bomb in his backpack,” Deputy Chief Joshua Barker said in a text message to the publication. “Someone did the right thing and alerted IMPD. The backpack was clean.”
The concertgoers who stayed around for the free outdoor show were able to hop back in line around 5:15 p.m., The Indy Star reports. But the first group of fans who were allowed to pick their spots near the stage didn’t get into the performance area until after 6:30 p.m. Pink Sweat$ opened the show just before 7 p.m.
In December 2021, Doja was forced to cancel a string of shows on the IHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour because a few members of her production team tested positive for COVID-19. “I’m doing ok and look forward to recovering and getting back out there as soon as I can!” she wrote in a statement at the time. The “Say So” songstress returned to the stage on New Year’s Eve for a concert at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami.