TROUTDALE, Ore. — The Avett Brothers postponed Saturday's sold out show at the popular McMenamins Edgefield venue in Troutdale after a man triggered a metal detector while entering the concert.
The band said on its website they canceled the show because a man had entered the venue with a gun.
"When confronted by the security guard and informed of the no-firearm policy of the venue, the individual stated that he was an out-of-state police officer and showed a badge," the band wrote.
Security asked the man to wait for a manager to confirm his entry, but instead the man walked away into the crowd.
"Due to the obvious threat posed by someone in the audience with a firearm, regardless of his [unconfirmed] claim of being a member of law enforcement, we were obligated, for the safety of everyone present, to cancel the performance," the band wrote.
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said they were told by security staff that the metal detector alarm was triggered. Security staff also told the sheriff's office they didn't see a firearm and the person made no threat to security staff, other people at the concert or the band.
The sheriff's office said they've received no credible information that indicates there was an imminent threat to anyone in or around the venue, and for that reason, they did not open a criminal investigation into the incident.
Some who attended the crowd are upset, wondering why the concert wasn't canceled sooner.
"I know they don't want people trampled as people run out of the venue, but they have an obligation to their guests," said Kyle Sproul, who attended the concert.
The show was supposed to start at 7 p.m., Sproul said. She said staff was saying the concert was delayed because of "sound issues." It wasn't until nearly 9 p.m. that a member of the band came on stage to say the show had been canceled, without giving a reason for the cancelation, according to Sproul.
"When he came out on stage, he was in the very corner and there was security around him, which should have been a red flag," she said.
Sproul said many in the crowd lingered to avoid traffic, until someone noticed a news article online saying The Avett Brothers had released a statement saying a man with a gun had entered the show.
"At that point, it's 9:30, and I'm thinking to myself, gosh, the show started at 7. This man, assuming he showed up before 7 o'clock, we were told it was canceled around 8:45," Sproul said. "We were just sitting ducks there for an hour and 45 minutes."
McMenamins, in a statement released Sunday, said Saturday's security breach was a "low-level security threat."
"The threat did not warrant immediate evacuation nor, at any point in time, endanger the audience, as corroborated by [the] Multnomah County Sheriff's Office," said Renee Rank Ignacio, the director of marketing for McMenamins.
According to McMenamins, Monqui Presents is the promoter and producer of the Edgefield concert series, and they have a contract with Crowd Management Services to provide security at the shows. Metal detectors were added at the gate as an extra security measure earlier this year.
The band says they are looking into rescheduling the performance and will release further details once it has been finalized. McMenamins said refunds can be obtained at their point of purchase.