Meeting of Christians to Be Addressed by GOP 2016 Hopefuls Evacuated over ‘Credible Threat’

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of evangelical Christians were evacuated Friday from a Washington hotel ballroom where they were gathered to hear from several GOP candidates for president.

Officials at the Faith and Freedom Coalition event said police believe there was a credible threat of danger in the main conference ballroom. Attendees were moved to another part of the hotel to allow authorities to sweep the ballroom for signs of danger.

Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Aquita Brown said police were called to the area by a report of a suspicious package just before 1 p.m. and were investigating a threat at the scene. She gave no additional details.

The threat came on the second day of the organization’s three-day conference. Attendees evacuated calmly from the room where five Republican presidential contenders spoke earlier in the day. One was on the agenda for later Friday afternoon.