405 Freeway Fully Shut Down Amid 'Suspicious Package' Response

LOS ANGELES, CA — Traffic was halted on both sides of the 405 Freeway on the Westside Thursday afternoon as authorities dealt with what police called a "suspicious package" on the interstate.

The item was located around 11:35 a.m. Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The northbound freeway was shut down at Wilshire Boulevard and the southbound side at Sunset Boulevard shortly after due to police activity, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The activity involved a response to a "suspicious package," authorities said.

CBS Los Angeles aired aerial footage that showed an officer removing a cardboard box from the roadway at around 1:45 p.m. It's unclear if the box was the suspicious package that was reported.

By 2 p.m., both sides of the freeway had reopened, though major traffic impacts persisted.

On the northbound side, traffic was crawling at under 5 mph shortly after 2 p.m. and backed up from Santa Monica Boulevard to the 90 (Marina) Freeway, according to a Sigalert.

Southbound traffic was backed up from Getty Center Drive to the 101 Freeway interchange.

Metro warned that riders on its World Cup service heading back to Downtown Santa Monica or Pierce College may encounter traffic due to residual impacts of the closure.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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