bomb squad

Bomb Squad Investigating Suspicious Package at Airport

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:30 p.m. — The package has been found to be non-hazardous and the bomb squad is leaving the scene.

The Arlington County Fire Department bomb squad is investigating a suspicious package at Reagan National Airport.

Bomb squad personnel were called in to take a look at a package that was going through screening at the airport’s cargo area, according to Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokeswoman Kimberly Gibbs. TSA agents identified the package as suspicious and felt that it “needed further investigation,” Gibbs said.

There has been no disruption to passenger air travel as a result of the investigation, according to Gibbs. She was unable to say what kind of cargo is typically shipped through the airport.

Suspicious Package in Aurora Highlands Park

By ARLnow.com

Update at 7:05 p.m. — The suspicious package was “disrupted” by the bomb squad and found to be non-hazardous, according to police.  The scene is in the process of being cleared.

Earlier: Police and the Arlington County bomb squad are on the scene of a suspicious package in Aurora Highlands Park near Pentagon City.

A metallic object with red and black wires coming out of it was found in the park around 4:30 p.m., according to Arlington County police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. A portion of the park and its parking lot has been cordoned off with police tape as the bomb squad uses a remote controlled robot to investigate the package.

One lane of S. Hayes Street is blocked by emergency vehicles between 15th Street and Fire Station No. 5.

 

Bomb Squad Investigates Suspicious Device

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) The Arlington County bomb squad has packed up and left the scene near Cherry Hill Park in Falls Church, where earlier they were investigating a potentially explosive device.

Crews had been assisting police and fire units from Falls Church, after a resident called about a suspicious device this morning. According to City of Falls Church Communications Director Susan Finarelli, the resident had been digging in his yard in the 200 block of N. Virginia Ave., when he found a potentially hazardous device. Arlington’s bomb squad was called in to assist.

The item in question was found to be an antique military device, and was deemed safe. The military will dispose of the item.

“Nobody was hurt, and now with the bomb squad here, nobody should be hurt,” Finarelli said earlier.

The park and streets around Cherry Hill Park were closed down for more than two hours during the investigation, and several homes were also evacuated. Everything in the area has been re-opened.

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Suspicious Package Investigation in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Update at 10:05 p.m. — The bomb squad “disrupted” the package, resulting in a “boom” that could be heard in the area.

N. Nash Street in Rosslyn has been shut down between Wilson Boulevard and the Golds Gym for a suspicious package investigation.

Some sort of suspicious package or device was spotted on the sidewalk, we’re told.

Police, firefighters and the Arlington County bomb squad are on the scene.

Traffic Alert: Washington Blvd Closed for Bomb Investigation

By Katie Pyzyk

Updated at 12:25 p.m. — The item was found to be not hazardous, and the investigation is wrapping up. All lanes of Washington Blvd have been re-opened.

A bomb squad investigation has shut down part of Washington Blvd and is causing significant traffic backups.

Washington Blvd in the eastbound/southbound direction has been shut at S. 2nd St, near Route 50. While the investigation continues, there will be various closings in the area, including on S. 2nd St.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area altogether if possible.

The investigation involves a pipe wrapped in some sort of packaging found lying in the bushes.

Suspicious Package Investigation at Polling Place

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 12:00 p.m.) The Arlington County bomb squad was called to a polling place this morning after a suspicious package was reported.

Shortly before 9:00 a.m. a suspicious envelope was found at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Cherrydale, which is a polling place for today’s presidential primary election. Police and fire units were on the scene, in addition to the bomb squad. The scene was cleared around 10:30 a.m.

Contrary to our earlier reporting, the polling place was not closed during the brief investigation, according to Arlington County Registrar Linda Lindberg.

While the bomb squad was on the scene of the suspicious envelope investigation, a second suspicious package incident was reported near Washington Blvd and S. 2nd St. At that scene, VDOT workers came across a pipe wrapped in some sort of packaging, lying in the bushes. All eastbound (southbound) lanes of Washington Boulevard were closed at Second Street as a result of the investigation. See our subsequent article for updated information.

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Suspicious Package Found in Ft. Myer Heights

By Katie Pyzyk

Updated at 3:25 p.m. — The bomb squad has cleared the package and all units are leaving the scene.

Earlier: Authorities are on the scene of a suspicious package in Ft. Myer Heights.

Arlington County police and firefighters are at the scene in the 1600 block of Ft. Myer Drive.

Police say an abandoned backpack was found leaning on a natural gas service box. The bomb squad is heading to the scene to investigate.

Suspicious Package at Arlington Cemetery Metro Station

By ARLnow.com

Update at 12:20 p.m. — The ‘all clear’ has been given, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl.

Blue Line trains are bypassing the Arlington Cemetery Metro station due to a suspicious package outside the station.

U.S. Park Police, Metro Transit Police and the Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the package, which was reported at some point before 11:00 a.m.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said via Twitter that shuttle bus service is operating from Arlington Cemetery station to the Rosslyn Metro station.

BREAKING NEWS — Suspicious Package in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Update at 5:45 p.m. — Firefighters have determined the object is not explosive nor a hazardous material, police tell ARLnow.com. The incident is “winding down” as authorities complete their investigation.

Earlier: The block around the SAIC building at 200 12th Street S. in Crystal City has been shut down as police and firefighters investigate a suspicious package in the building.

The Arlington County bomb squad, hazmat team and traffic control officers are on the scene, on the northern end of Crystal City. Pentagon Police have restricted pedestrian access on 12th Street east of Route 1.

The building, which has been evacuated, contains a number of military-related offices. Initial reports suggest that a bomb-sniffing dog had a positive hit on a suspicious object inside the building.

No word yet on the type of object, but Arlington Police say it was mailed to the office.

Homeland security detectives from the Arlington County Police Department and agents from the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service agency are on the scene.

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FBI Agents Execute Search Warrant in Cherrydale

By ARLnow.com

Update at 3:55 p.m. — Police have announced that an arrest has been made in connection with the FBI raid. As a result, we’ve removed a now-irrelevant reference to the owner of the group house that was raided.

About a dozen FBI agents executed a search warrant on a house in Cherrydale last night.

FBI Washington Field Office spokeswoman Lindsay Godwin confirmed the operation but was unable to provide any additional details, citing an on-going investigation. Agents, many wearing FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force jackets, could be seen carrying boxes of evidence out of the house late last night. One agent was wearing an “FBI Bomb Tech” jacket.

A neighbor said the house, located on the 4000 block of 17th Street N., was a group home, divided into several apartments. He said he hasn’t noticed anything suspicious about any of its residents.

Agents appeared to be focused on the home’s basement area. They could also be seen searching the yard with flashlights.

FBI agents were assisted by Arlington County Police and the Arlington County Bomb Squad. The county’s bomb squad truck helped to provide light at the scene. It’s unclear if bomb squad members were utilized for any other part of the operation. Godwin said the scene posed no danger to the public.

In a somewhat unusual move, police officers stopped at least two individuals who were taking photos of the scene and demanded their name, address and date of birth.

The search warrant comes one week after an FBI Evidence Response Team conducted a search of a site near I-66 and Patrick Henry Drive, following the discovery of gun parts buried in the ground in a wooded area.

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DEVELOPING: Bomb Squad Investigates Suspicious Packages Near I-66

By ARLnow.com

Updates: This developing story has been updated here and here.

Update at 2:50 p.m. — The FBI is now on the scene assisting Arlington police with the investigation, police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal has confirmed. “It’s still continuing the investigation from this morning,” she said. Nosal described the objects found as “several” PVC pipes containing weapons.

Arlington County’s bomb squad and police department are investigating suspicious packages found near a utility box along I-66, at the Patrick Henry Drive overpass.

A VDOT contractor found the objects earlier today and called police, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Gregg Karl. ARLnow.com is hearing that construction crews working on the I-66 widening project found a disassembled machine gun and several PVC tubes full of metallic objects in the ground.

Patrick Henry Drive was closed in both directions while the bomb squad investigated. Earlier, a bomb squad member carried a box from the site with what appeared to be the butt of a military-style gun. Minutes later, “fire in the hole” was called a small controlled detonation could be heard. The bomb squad has since cleared the scene, after determining the objects were not explosive, and police are now photographing the evidence.

A passerby says he was told by an officer that authorities found “a box of guns.”

“People call in found firearms frequently,” police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal told ARLnow.com. “Officers will make sure they weren’t used in the commission of a crime.”

“The bomb squad was called in to make sure the tubes weren’t pipe bombs,” she added.

Neighbors say the area where the objects were found is a popular cut-through for kids on their way home from school.

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