S.J. Federal Building Reopen After Bomb Scare
Posted on: Thursday, 13 April 2006, 21:00 CDT
By Howard Mintz and Kimra McPherson, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
Apr. 13--The federal building in downtown San Jose was evacuated for more than three hours today after an employee found a suspicious package that was eventually blown up by a police bomb squad.
Law enforcement officials on the scene described the package as akin to a backpack, and said it included a note with the word "boom."
The federal building complex was cleared around 1 p.m., shutting down the federal courts for the afternoon and forcing court employees and judges to mill on the nearby streets while police examined the suspicious bag.
A bomb squad was called to the scene to examine the bag, which was found on the First Street side of the five-story building at Second and San Carlos streets. Shortly before 4 p.m., the bomb squad detonated the bag, which contained a metal box, sending a loud cracking sound through downtown.
U.S. Marshals allowed federal employees back into the building around 4:20 p.m.
Meanwhile, the bomb scare disrupted pedestrian traffic, as well as public transportation through the downtown corridor. First Street was closed between San Carlos and Paseo de San Antonio, Sgt. Nick Muyo said. Pedestrian traffic was diverted from the area, and employees are being evacuated away from the First Street side of the building.
Light rail service was stopped on San Carlos Street near the scene, and the Valley Transportation Authority ran a bus for passengers between the Convention and Civic Center stations, spokeswoman Brandi Hall said.
Buses that run along San Carlos, including Lines 23, 66 and 68, were rerouted onto Third Street.
Contact Kimra McPherson at kmcpherson@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5928.
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Copyright (c) 2006, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
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Source: San Jose Mercury News
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