News

Actions

Man brings what he says is a bomb to Red Lobster "just to make you smile," claims to be Taliban

Man brings what he says is a bomb to Red Lobster "just to make you smile," claims to be Taliban
Posted
and last updated

A man walked into a Red Lobster claiming to work for the Taliban and have a bomb in his bag.

Largo, Florida Police Department received a call from the GM of the Red Lobster at Largo Mall Thursday afternoon.

According to the GM, a man with a black bag entered the store and told the hostess, "Just to make you smile, I work for the Taliban and I have a bomb in this bag." 

The man asked for a booth near the window, and he and another woman were seated away from other guests.

At Largo PD's direction, the customers and staff were quietly evacuated as patrol officers set a perimeter around the building.

About 15 minutes later, the suspect left out the front door and told officers there was nothing in the bag and he was just joking.

The man is in custody now and arrangements are being made to check the contents of the bag by the Tampa Bomb Squad.

No injuries have been reported.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Thursday

11/20/2025

Rain

54° / 48°

100%

Friday

11/21/2025

AM Clouds/PM Sun

59° / 46°

15%

Saturday

11/22/2025

Partly Cloudy

62° / 45°

7%

Sunday

11/23/2025

Sunny

64° / 46°

5%

Monday

11/24/2025

Partly Cloudy

64° / 45°

10%

Tuesday

11/25/2025

Mostly Sunny

62° / 44°

7%

Wednesday

11/26/2025

Mostly Sunny

63° / 45°

6%

Thursday

11/27/2025

Mostly Sunny

64° / 46°

5%