Police in Washington state have shared a statement which says they believe they prevented a mass shooting at an EDM festival over the weekend.

The Bass Canyon music festival has been held at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Grant County, Washington over the past few days (August 19-21).

In a statement shared on Facebook, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office revealed that witnesses reportedly spotted a 31-year-old called Jonathan R. Moody loading two 9mm pistols in his car outside the festival on Friday night (August 19).

The witnesses told police that Moody then approached attendees outside the festival asking what time people were expected to leave the festival that night.

When he was detained by security at the venue, police said Moody was not trying to enter the festival. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing a dangerous weapon and unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon, and taken to Grant County Jail.

The Facebook post read: “Grant County sheriff’s deputies on Friday night believe they stopped an Ephrata man who may have had plans to commit a mass shooting at the Gorge Amphitheater.

“The Gorge Amphitheater does not allow weapons on site, but Moody’s possession of weapons was not the lone factor for his arrest,” it added. “Moody’s actions of appearing to inhale an intoxicant, loading weapons in the parking lot, and his questions about where concertgoers would be exiting and at what time, furthered the suspicions of witnesses and deputies. Moody did not make any statements to deputies.”

They added that nobody was injured in the incident, going on to appeal for more witnesses who have any information, writing: “Remember: if you see something, say something. Citizens saw something completely out of place for the circumstances and notified security, who in turn notified deputies. That combination of situational awareness along with noticing ‘something does not fit’ resulted in a possible tragedy being prevented.

“Thank you to the concertgoers who reported this man, and to venue security for keeping the man from getting inside the concert venue.”

See the full post below.

Last week, this year’s edition of Musikfest – an annual 11-day music festival held in the Leigh Valley town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania – was temporarily shut down after a shooting incident.

As reported by local paper The Morning Call, police attended the scene shortly before 11pm on Saturday (August 13) after a single gunshot was reported to be heard between Main Street and Lehigh Street.

It’s unclear how many people were involved in the shooting. However, in a press release sent from the scene, Bethlehem police chief Michelle Kott said “law enforcement [was] on site and in control of the situation”, and that there was “no known continuing threat to the public”. Kott reportedly noted that an investigation had been launched and described the shooting as an “isolated incident”.

Earlier this month, a shooting scare at Lollapalooza led to a security guard being arrested and charged with making a false terrorist threat, while the Music Midtown event in Atlanta was reportedly forced to cancel its 2022 edition over Georgia’s gun laws.

Music Midtown, which takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, was set to take place in September with Jack White, Future, My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy headlining. While promoters Live Nation did not give an official reason for the cancellation, sources who work with the festival confirmed to Rolling Stone that Georgia’s gun laws were responsible.

The festival takes place at Piedmont Park in Atlanta and parks are among the places in Georgia where people are allowed to carry guns.