Politics from the Palouse to Puget Sound

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

BREAKING NEWS: "Suspicious Package" Found at Stadium and Grand

*UPDATED @ 5:30 PM* The Defense Intelligence Agency accessed this post at 5:23 PM. Your Homeland Security dollars at work...

From KREM.com:
The Spokane Bomb Unit is en route to Pullman where there is a report of a suspicious device on the Washington State University campus near the intersection of Stadium Way and Grand. Stay tuned to KREM 2 News and KREM.com for more details.
And from Dnews.com:
Spokane bomb squad to evaluate suspicious suitcase found in Pullman
Updated at: 16:03 pm

Pullman Police and fire crews are awaiting a bomb squad to evaluate a suspicious suitcase found near a trash bin off of Stadium Way today.

Pullman Police Commander Chris Tennant said police received a hazardous materials call about 3:30 p.m. regarding a suitcase full of suspicious contents located near a Dumpster in the parking lot behind Pizza Hut. Further evaluation of the suitcase, which is about the size of a vintage record player, revealed it contained more than 12 small glass bottles, wires and a battery, Tennant said.

The bomb squad from the Spokane Police Department is expected to arrive in several hours. Police have not yet evacuated neighboring businesses or residences, although they may, Tennant said.

“I have a feeling this is someone’s science project or chemicals they just wanted to get rid of. Or I hope that is the case,” Tennant said.

Bomb squads are called in in any circumstances that are suspicious, he said.
And LMTribune.com:
Bomb squad investigates suspicious package in Pullman
March 25, 2008, 4:31 pm

PULLMAN -- A bomb squad from Spokane should arrive around 6 p.m. to investigate a suspicious package found near the intersection of Grand
Avenue and Stadium Way in Pullman this afternoon.

Mayor Glenn Johnson said the small box or suitcase was found near a Dumpster outside a business on the northwest side of the intersection. Johnson said it appeared to contain small bottles typically used to store chemicals, and that it looked like they were connected to a battery.

Pullman police have cordoned off an area around the package, but traffic continues to flow normally in the area.

4 comments:

April E. Coggins said...

An informed source tells me that the "suspicious package" was found near the dumpster at Pizza Hut.

Michael said...

When I drove by, just before 5:00 PM, all roads were open and it appeared that a firetruck had been parked so as to absorb the explosion, should one occur. Strangely (I thought) there were several firemen standing near the truck, on the side away from the suspicious package, shooting the breeze. It seemed to me that if this was a bomb and it exploded, it would have taken their legs off below the knees.
Parked at Dissmore's was a KREM truck with a satellite dish and a KREM SUV that probably carried the talent.
What struck me was, "Don't these liberals know about that collapsing Antarctic ice shelf? Shouldn't they be driving a Prius?

Barenjager said...

1. It's the DIA's job to monitor for indicators of terrorist activity. In light of that, I'm sure you'll understand why this item was accessed.
2. The firefighters were in the right place and were adequately protected. I won't do a dissertation on ballistics but they were outside the burst radius.

Unknown said...

I actually wasn't being disparaging. I know Homeland Security has a big command center that monitors everything. I just thought it was pretty cool (or scary) they found Palousitics so quickly.