A downtown San Diego building that houses the San Diego Union-Tribune and other businesses was briefly evacuated Wednesday morning after a stack of suspicious looking packages — later determined to contain an assortment of random items — was spotted near the front doors, San Diego police said.

Although police have not determined whether the incident was related, the scare occurred on the same day pipe bombs were sent to former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. CNN also received a similar bomb at its building in Manhattan.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we take these measures,” San Diego police Lt. Kevin Wadhams said. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

A bystander flagged down a San Diego police lieutenant after spotting five boxes on a table in front of 600 B Street about 8:15 a.m., police said. The building houses law firms, co-working, media and technology companies. Sen. Kamala Harris and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department also have offices at the address.


The discovery quickly prompted the closure of several busy blocks. But about an hour later, with aid from an X-ray, police determined the packages were filled with everyday items.

San Diego police Lt. Kevin Wadhams said the unaddressed boxes contained: one shoe, two children’s books, one football, one empty bag of chips and one hat. A red air pump was located behind the packages.

UT building downtown has been evacuated after suspicious pkgs found at entrance. State Sen Kamaka Harris and SDFD has offices in bldg also.Bomb squad at scene. pic.twitter.com/Poe67gUJuE — John Gibbins (@JohnGibbinsSDUT) October 24, 2018

After reviewing surveillance footage from cameras in the area, police determined the boxes were dropped off by unknown suspect about 1:45 a.m.


Journalists at the paper said they were told by Jeff Light, the editor-in-chief, that police had asked them to evacuate about 8:35 a.m.

Kate Morrissey, an immigration reporter, said she saw officers putting tape around the boxes, but didn’t think anything of it since a nearby coffee cart was still open. She’d been at her desk for about five minutes when she was told to go downstairs.

She described the boxes as priority mail packages positioned near an orange pump.

“If you think of what Wile E. Coyote would push down on to make things explode — it looks like that,” she said of the pump.


She said a number of other floors below her, including several occupied by WeWork, a shared workspace company company, were also evacuated.

Lily Adams, communications director for Harris, said on Twitter the packages were not directly aimed at her office. “Our office was evacuated today after suspicious packages were found near the building,” she wrote. “The packages were not addressed to the senator or our office. We are grateful to the San Diego Police Department for their work to swiftly investigate this issue.”


Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com


UPDATES:

12:30 p.m. This story was updated with additional details.