Bomb Squad Called In After Alleged Attempted PNC Bank Robbery

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - An alleged attempted robbery at PNC Bank led to the bomb squad being called in Wednesday afternoon.

According to Pittsburgh Police, it was around noon on Wednesday when Dante Engram came into the PNC Bank near Fifth Avenue and Washington Place and handed an employee a note. Police wouldn't tell what the note said.

"I just know it was cause for alarm to bring the bomb squad out," Pittsburgh Public Safety Assistant Spokesperson Maurice Matthews said.

Officers came and found the man outside with a backpack. He was taken into custody with no problem. Police later announced Dante Engram has been charged with robbery and terroristic threats.

Nearby businesses were evacuated as a precaution because of the backpack.

"They conducted a search around the area. They searched the bag that was out front and a box outside," Matthews said at the scene.

Public Safety said police had the 900 block of Fifth Avenue closed off while they investigated. Washington Place between Duquesne University and Centre Avenue was also closed. Police urged people to avoid the area.

NewsChopper 2 flew over the scene where a heavy police presence could be seen. The bomb squad was called, and KDKA's cameras captured robots checking out a backpack.

With his backpack possibly being suspicious and sitting in the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Washington Place, police set up a perimeter near PPG Paints Arena.

"It was just a normal bookbag, I think there were papers and other stuff inside of it," Matthews said during a media briefing.

The bomb squad and K-9 unit did a sweep around the area to make sure everything was safe.

"A protective sweep around the area -- anything that you can hide something in, took the k-9 through, the robot," Matthews said.

Police reported no injuries and opened up the area around 2 in the afternoon.

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• Robbery
• Pittsburgh