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Police disagree with Ella Langley's statement after canceling concert because of 'bomb threat'
One of the US’ biggest country singers, Ella Langley, canceled her sold-out show on Friday after hearing reports of a bomb threat, but local police later revealed they did not agree with her decision.
The 27-year-old chart-topper was set to perform at the BOK Center in Tulsa on Friday, October 9, but canceled the gig hours before due to an alleged security threat. However, local authorities deemed the threat “false”.
During a concert the following evening, she told her fans: "When it comes to keeping you safe and making sure that this show is a safe place for us to come and enjoy our music, then it will happen – but the second it feels like it will not, I'm not doing it.
"I would have made yesterday's decision 10 billion times over, and I'd do it tomorrow, and I'd do it the next day because, while I'm grateful to get to do what I do, it's not the most important thing in this life."
The Oklahoma show was scheduled to be the 15th stop on the 21-date fall extension of her Dandelion Tour.
Langley gave her reasons for canceling at her following show in neighboring Texas
At her show in Lubbock, Texas, the following day, Langley referenced her faith when explaining why she decided to cancel her gig the previous night. Addressing the audience, she said: "What's the most important thing in this life is the people around you who love you and are there for you no matter what.
"The most important thing in this life is making sure you wake up every day and feel like, 'You know what? I'm good today, and I'm so grateful to have woken up today.'
"The most important thing in this life, number one, is your relationship with Jesus Christ. If it wasn't for him, I would have canceled this show tonight.
"I would have, but I felt this calling and this tug in my chest saying, 'It's OK, we're safe, and we can do this show.' I decided to because of him right there, and that's the only reason."
The 'Choosin’ Texas' singer announced the cancellation just hours before doors were set to open in a statement on her Instagram story. Langley wrote: "Due to a serious security threat involving the safety of my fans, the venue staff, and my team, the incredibly difficult decision was made to cancel tonight's show.
"This decision was made under the advisement of local authorities, the venue, and my security team."
The BOK Center also wrote on their social media: "Due to a serious security threat involving the safety of fans, venue personnel, and the artist, Ella Langley's scheduled performance tonight at BOK Center in Tulsa has been canceled."
Cops claimed there was no threat to Langley's fans
Despite the singer prioritizing her fans' safety, the Tulsa Police Department posted a statement on social media that contradicted the singer’s statement entirely.
The local authority wrote on Facebook: "We advised the performer's staff that we found no credible threat to the event, but they decided to cancel the performance anyway."
In a video posted to Facebook but later deleted, Tulsa police captain Richard Meulenberg reiterated their stance, saying: "We would never tell anybody, if we couldn't find a credible threat, to cancel their event. So they decided to cancel their event tonight."
The department also previously called it a "false bomb threat call".