Guardian Building Evacuated After Masked Man Drops Package Outside
DETROIT (WWJ) - The historic Guardian Building in downtown Detroit was evacuated Friday after a masked man left a suspicious metal package outside.
Employees and visitors were ordered out of the building, which houses some Wayne County government offices, Friday morning.
Authorities say the suspect, who appeared to be dressed as a construction worker, got out of an older model black Jeep Cherokee, with a yellow light on top, about 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Michigan State Police Sgt. Michael Woody said the shoebox-sized package was set down near Griswold and Woodward Ave. A note on the box read: "open me."
"He dropped the box out of the vehicle on the curb lane and then got in the vehicle and left," Woody said.
An off-duty Detroit police officer reported finding the package about 10 minutes later.
Woody said the man who dropped the package was clad in an orange construction vest, a white construction helmet and what appeared to be a breathing mask.
"It's kind of like a surgical mask — or there's those dust respirators that construction workers use," he told WWJ's Sandra McNeill.
The police bomb squad was called in and the package was moved to a west side park where it was to be detonated.
Employees in the Guardian Building received the following email from management:
"Please be advised that a suspicious package was found this morning at the Guardian Building. You will see several police cars around that property and they are working on that issue to make sure that everyone is safe. We just wanted to let you know what was happening outside. If we learn more, we will share the information."
One person who works in the building told WWJ she was told the box "had a timer on it." That detail was not immediately confirmed by police.
No one was injured.
The building reopened just after noon.
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