By Alexis Stevens
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bomb threats made to a Georgia-based movie theater company had several metro Atlanta theaters on alert Friday, as well as theaters in other states.
Paulding County investigators searched the Carmike Cinemas theater in Hiram as a precaution Friday.
Several Carmike theaters in several states, including this one in Paulding County, were searched after threats were made to the Georgia-based theater chain.
Callers identifying themselves as employees of a vendor used by the Columbus-based Carmike Cinemas made the the threats to theaters, Terrell Mayton, company spokesman, said Friday afternoon. The threats were made in multiple states, but nothing suspicious has been located, Mayton said. A threat was also phoned into the corporate office, he said.
All of the threats concerned the action movie "The Expendables 2," which opened Friday, Mayton said.
Officers have been dispatched to check Carmike theaters in Atlanta, Snellville, Canton, Newnan, Hiram, Conyers, Cumming and Bartow County, according to police in various agencies.
Carmike Cinemas owns 25 theaters in Georgia, including many in the metro area.
The corporate office called metro law enforcement agencies after receiving the threat, Sgt. Jonathan Rogers with the Bartow County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies searched the Cartersville theater, but nothing was located.
A man carrying a gun was arrested Thursday night at the Carmike theater in Columbus, the Ledger-Enquirer reported. But investigators told the newspaper they do not believe the 23-year-old man is responsible for the bomb threats.
Joshua L. Vardeman, 23, who faces three misdemeanor charges, had purchased a ticket for a special screening of "The Expendables 2" and tried to enter carrying a computer bag, according to the report. Vardeman was stopped by an officer, who found a 9 mm automatic handgun and several bullets, police told the newspaper.
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