Bomb squad clears suspicious packages in Columbia

Two suspicious backpacks dropped off by a Main Street ATM have been declared harmless by the bomb squad after thorough checks were made Monday afternoon.

Traffic on Main Street was blocked two hours as both Homeland Security and the bomb squad investigated the backpacks, with a fire department standing by.

Witnesses called 911 after the packages were found on the 1100 block of Main Street, and authorities gave the clear nearly two hours after the initial calls, according to The State. The backpacks were discovered containing regular clothes, but authorities say would rather take precautions than assume there is no danger.

Meanwhile families and students making their way to graduation and students around campus for their last day of exams fumbled around the traffic block.

Third-year exercise science student Erin Jordan was on her way to the library when she came to a halt at Main Street. Jordan, a Columbia resident, said she heard about the packages on the radio, but nobody on the street was giving information.

Authorities say everything is clear and traffic resumed to normal around 3:30 p.m. when graduation commencement at the Carolina Coliseum began.

Thanks to dailygamecock.com.

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