Police called after man tells Red Lobster hostess he ‘works for Taliban’
LARGO, Fla. (WFLA) – A man entered the Red Lobster at Largo Mall Thursday afternoon and claimed to be part of the Taliban.
The Largo Police Department got a call just after 3 p.m. from the general manager of the restaurant at Largo Mall on Ulmerton Road.
He told police that a man with a black bag told the hostess, “Just to make you smile, I work for the Taliban and I have a bomb in this bag.”
He then asked for a booth near a window and he and an unknown woman were seated away from other patrons.
Officers were able to evacuate the customers and staff quietly through another door to the restaurant.
Police surrounded the building and at 3:20 p.m. the man left through the front door and told officers that there was nothing in the bag and the he was just joking.
He was taken into custody and the Tampa Bomb Squad was checking out the contents of the bag.
There were no injuries.
No other information was immediately released.