Bomb Squad Called to Mission Bay Plaza: Video and Photos

Around 10 am today we were tipped off to a situation at Mission Bay Plaza. Readers and friends told us that there was a heavy police presence along with fire trucks. We headed over and took both pictures and video.
The main part of the story is a “suspicious package” that was found in the parking area between TD Bank and Bank of America. You can see a wide version of the scene in our photo at top. It took some time but eventually the Sheriff’s “EOD” team (Explosive Ordnance Disposal or bomb squad) determined that the package was safe to handle. In the sequence of photos below you can see an armored bomb squad member approach it, pick it up, and then start bringing it to their truck along with another team member who is even more heavily armored. PBSO tells us this was not the package in question, but watching it on scene we don’t see what else it could have been.
Another reader agrees with PBSO though:

There was something else made up of an umbrella, some sort of plastic container with a water bottle and some coins.

Please note that all photos in this article are copyrighted by Warren Redlich. Media are welcome to reuse them by simply crediting @WestBocaNews or WestBocaNews.com. Most photos are available in higher resolution just by clicking on them.

There was a lot of police and fire rescue activity around the plaza. A large section of the parking lot and the area around the two banks were evacuated and blocked off by police tape.

The bomb squad truck was in operation near Bank of America.

After the package was secured, the heavily armored bomb squad team member got some help getting the helmet off.


The suspicious package itself just looks like a tool kit:

We asked PBSO for comment:

We received a call from Bank of America, located on Glades Road and 441, of a suspicious package. Deputies arrived evacuated both Bank of America and TD Bank then contained the area until Bomb and Arson arrived. Bomb and Arson arrived checked out the package and determined that there was no threat. Both banks were opened to continue business as usual.

We shot some video at the scene. Here’s our initial report:

And here’s our final video: