3:45 PM: A suspicious backpack found near San Francisco’s federal courthouse building this afternoon has been deemed harmless and the all-clear signal has been given, a police spokesman said.
The bag was reported at 12:51 p.m. on Golden Gate Avenue just west of Larkin Street, San Francisco police Lt. Troy Dangerfield said.
A man in his 30s allegedly approached a U.S. marshal, pointed to the backpack and said it had explosive materials in it, and also made some anti-government statements, Dangerfield said.
The man left the scene and the marshal called 911, he said.
The Police Department’s bomb squad responded to investigate the bag, and determined it only contained personal items, Dangerfield said.
People in the federal and state buildings on each side of Golden Gate Avenue between Polk and Larkin streets were asked to avoid exiting the buildings on the Golden Gate Avenue side during the investigation.
A message came over the intercom system in the federal courthouse building shortly before 3:30 p.m. saying, “The situation has been resolved, all operations are back to normal.”
Several streets in the Civic Center area were also closed during the incident, including Golden Gate Avenue between Van Ness Avenue and Hyde Street, Polk Street between McAllister and Turk streets, and Larkin Street between McAllister and Turk streets, but were in the process of being reopened as of 3:30 p.m.
The man who allegedly made the statements about the backpack, described as a man in his 30s, was found nearby in United Nations Plaza and was identified by the marshal. He has been detained for questioning but has not been arrested, Dangerfield said.
2:44 PM: A suspicious backpack was found near San Francisco’s federal courthouse building this afternoon after someone approached a U.S. marshal, made anti-government statements and said the backpack had explosives inside, a police spokesman said.
The package was reported at 12:51 p.m. on Golden Gate Avenue just west of Larkin Street, San Francisco police Lt. Troy Dangerfield said.
An unidentified male approached the marshal, pointed to the backpack, and said it had an explosive device in it, Dangerfield said.
The male left the scene and the marshal called 911, he said.
The Police Department’s bomb squad responded and is investigating the backpack, according to Dangerfield.
Several streets are closed in the Civic Center area, including Golden Gate Avenue between Van Ness Avenue and Hyde Street, Polk Street between McAllister and Turk streets, and Larkin Street between McAllister and Turk streets.
People in the state and federal buildings on each side of Golden Gate Avenue between Polk and Larkin streets are being asked to avoid exiting the buildings on the Golden Gate Avenue side.
The male who allegedly made the anti-government statements and said explosives were in the backpack had not been found as of 2:30 p.m., Dangerfield said.
1:57 PM: A suspicious package has been reported in front of the Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave. in San Francisco this afternoon, a police spokesman said.
The package was reported at 12:51 p.m. near the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Larkin Street, San Francisco police Lt. Troy Dangerfield said.
The department’s bomb squad has responded to the scene, Dangerfield said.
Federal officials in charge of security for the building were not immediately available to comment on the incident, but an announcement came over the intercom at the building around 1 p.m. notifying people inside about the suspicious package.
Golden Gate Avenue was closed between Polk and Larkin streets as of 1:15 p.m. due to the investigation into the package.
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