Evacuations, closures underway
By Sam Catanzaro
A suspicious package was found on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, shutting down a block of the popular shopping destination and forcing evacuations. After a joint investigation by the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) it was determined that the object posed no threat to the public.
“Police Activity due to a suspicious package near 1400 block of 3rd Street Prom. Stay away from the area. Those on the Promenade, please evacuate the area and follow all instructions from law enforcement personnel on scene. Vehicular Traffic: 200-300 block of Broadway is closed,” said the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) in a 5:59 tweet adding “The 200-300 block of Santa Monica Blvd is also closed.”
At 7:16 p.m. the SMPD tweeted “to ensure the safety of all the people visiting and working in the area, and in line with our standard protocol for a possible threat, we’ve evacuated the area. We understand the inconvenience and ask that you remain patient as we continue the investigation.”
At 8:28 p.m. the SMPD tweeted that officers “have determined there is no threat to the public from the item placed in the trash container.”
KTLA reported that around 5:30 p.m., a witness called 911, reporting they had seen someone put a pressure cooker or something that looked similar, into a trash can in front of Urban Outfitters on the Promenade.
Officer have determined there is no threat to the public from the item placed in the trash container near the 1400 block of the #3rdStreetPromenade. We anticipate the area will reopen in before 10pm. We appreciate your patience & cooperation.
— Santa Monica Police (@SantaMonicaPD) September 17, 2019
The bomb squad of the Special Enforcement Bureau of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) arrived on the scene around 7 p.m.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
