Cleveland Hopkins Airport All Clear After Bomb Scare

CLEVELAND, OH — Cleveland Hopkins Airport has been declared "clear" of all threats after a security scare shut down part of the airport on Tuesday afternoon. The airport is currently working to restore normal operations.

Part of the airport's ticketing level was closed because of an unattended bag left outside the check-in area. An airport bag handler noticed the bag contacted TSA. The TSA contacted Cleveland Police and bomb sniffing dogs were called to the scene. A canine thought it detected a bomb and the airport initiated security protocols, Cleveland Hopkins Director Robert Kennedy said during a press conference on Tuesday.

(To stay up to date on all developments with this story, subscribe to the Patch Cleveland newsletter. As news breaks and stories develop, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

The Explosion Detection team was then called to the scene and a 300-foot safety area was established. While the squad cleared the scene, travelers were stranded on planes or in their terminals and traffic was diverted onto SR 237 South, away from the airport.

Two examinations of the bag were made by the Explosion Detection team. The first was an X-Ray scan of the bag, which proved inconclusive. Then law enforcement conducted a hand search of the bag. The technician suited up, did a physical examination of the bag, and found nothing of a threatening nature.

The individual who left the bag has been identified and questioned by Cleveland Police. Law enforcement is still investigating the matter. Video of the incident will be provided to law enforcement, Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the airport provided chairs, water, and as much information as it could to passengers stranded in the airport during the temporary shut-down. Updates were made throughout the airport every five minutes, he said.

"This is why we run the drills that we do and review our policies, procedures, and coordination," Kennedy said. "Security at an airport is like an onion. It starts with the baggage person, then involves the TSA, the CPD, the FBI, and each layer is to protect the traveling public."

The airport sent out the "all clear" message a little after 4 p.m. Tuesday. Traffic has re-opened to the airport.

Photo by Michael Francis McElroy/Getty Images