BREAKING NEWS:Suspicious package found to be a hoax device, bomb squad says

Michael Alexander and Josh Aden
Daily Pilot

Bomb squad investigators have found that a suspicious package reported near the Huntington Beach Library Friday is not a bomb but a hoax, authorities said.

It is hand-made and has no explosive nature whatsoever, Huntington Beach Fire Department Spokeswoman Martha Werth said.

Orange County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad investigators took samples of a suspicious powder from two packages found at the scene near the library entrance. Upon testing, they found that the material inside was just a pile of torn up white paper, Werth said.

The bomb squad used a remote control robot to “slowly tear apart” a plastic-covered package that appeared to be an explosive device, said Investigator Kent McBride, one of two bomb squad members who approached the object. McBride said it looked serious at first.

“I wouldn’t want it in my home,” he added.

A call came in to Huntington Beach police at 11:19 a.m. today from a library employee saying a suspicious object was found outside the library, Werth said.

Huntington Beach police evacuated 500 to 600 people, possibly including Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. California State Assemblyman Jim Silva had been at the library but left before the evacuation. The two were attending a small business fair at the library.

The Huntington Beach Fire Department also came to the scene, Werth said.

The package had wires coming out of it, Werth said.

“It’s something designed to look like a bomb,” she said.

The library and the adjacent Huntington Beach Sports Complex have been closed since this afternoon, and no one was allowed within a 500-foot perimeter.

Silva’s District Director Erik Weigand said the business fair, which was cut short, was put on by multiple government agencies to help small businesses.

“It’s pretty upsetting ... it ruined a great event. When we were there, every [government] agency, federal to local was there to help small businesses,” Weigand said. “For somebody to do that ... is rather unfortunate.”

Now the investigation will be turned over to police and sheriff to try to track down a culprit, Werth said.

“They’re going to be looking at fingerprints and DNA and all that CSI stuff,” she said.