Santee Bomb Squad Responds To Suspicious Backpack Sheriff's Station

SANTEE, CA — An unidentified person dropped a backpack in front of the Santee Sheriff's Station on Friday and then left the area, prompting a precautionary evacuation of the facility and closures of nearby traffic lanes until a bomb squad took custody of the bag.

The man left the backpack outside the station in the 8800 block of Cuyamaca Street about 12:30 p.m. Friday, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

Officials cleared everyone out of the complex, shut down nearby traffic lanes and suspended service along a trolley line in front of the station while ordnance-handling personnel were en route, sheriff's Lt. Joe Barry said.

Within a half-hour, the bomb squad had "rendered safe" the bag and removed it from the area, the lieutenant said. Normal operations in the area then resumed.

It was not immediately clear if the backpack had contained anything hazardous.