Suspicious Device At Pasadena U-Haul Rendered Safe After Prompting Neighborhood Evacuations
PASADENA (CBSLA) – A suspicious device at a U-Haul facility in Pasadena was deemed safe Monday night.
Pasadena police responded to a call for a suspicious package around 5:45 p.m. at a U-Haul parking lot in the 500 block of South Raymond Avenue. Responding officers found a package attached to a rental truck in the lot.
Several surrounding streets in the commercial area were shut down and businesses, including KPCC Radio, within two to three blocks were evacuated. Residences and a homeless shelter were also evacuated.
SKY9's Stu Mundel was over the scene, where a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb squad was inspecting the device.
Pasadena police said the device appeared real but was determined not to be a threat after it was detonated.
"The device was about 6 to 8 inches in length. It did look like a device to the bomb squad...there was some wiring, there was some taping – and so enough for them to decide that, in fact, it did look like a real device," said Pasadena Police Chief John Perez.
Gold Line train service was interrupted between Memorial Park Station and South Pasadena stations, as Metro tracks run parallel to the rental center.
A portion of the 110 Freeway has since reopened in both directions after closing as a precaution.
It is not yet clear why the device was reported as suspicious.
An investigation is ongoing.