A portion of Esther Short Park was closed Friday afternoon as bomb squad officers investigated a suspicious package in the downtown park.

Police were called to the scene about 1 p.m. to investigate a report that a suspicious-looking person had placed a handbag next to a tree and walked away, according to a bulletin from the Vancouver Police Department.

“Officers located the bag next to a large tree on the east side of the park but could not locate the person who left it there,” the department said. “Several witnesses reported the man was wearing a mask and behaving strangely.”

Based on the suspicious nature of the incident and the fact that the bag was closed, officers cordoned off a section of the park and called in the Portland Metro Explosive Disposal Unit, according to the bulletin.

Members of the unit used a robot and X-rays to inspect the bag and did not detect any explosives. As a final precaution, they fired a projectile into the bag to ensure it was safe to handle, the bulletin said.

The bag was found to contain common personal items and nothing dangerous, according to the bulletin. The park was reopened shortly thereafter.