Threats Led to Bomb Squad Search in Bethesda

Nothing was found during the search of a vehicle in a parking lot on Woodmont Avenue Tuesday night

September 3, 2014 9:00 a.m.

Threats made by a person who recently committed suicide led police and fire officials to conduct an extensive search of a vehicle for explosives on Woodmont Avenue Tuesday night, according to fire department spokesman Pete Piringer.

Piringer said relatives of the person called police asking them to assist with the vehicle, which police located at Lot 43 in downtown Bethesda. The Montgomery County Fire Department bomb squad used a robot to remove a duffel bag from the back of the vehicle, which was found not to have any explosives.

Later, bomb squad officers put on full protective gear to search the same vehicle around 10:20 p.m., but nothing was found, Piringer said. Woodmont Avenue was closed for about three hours while the search was conducted.

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At first police shut down the parking lot and searched the vehicle with a K9, according to Bethesda Now, but around 8:20 p.m. a full bomb squad vehicle arrived, with a robot to search the vehicle.

A Montgomery County Police spokesowman said Wednesday morning they didn’t have any additional information about the incident and said they were called to the scene to assist fire officials.

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