Traffic was prohibited around the Fulton County Courthouse on Monday morning during a nearly three-hour investigation into a suspicious suitcase.
The suitcase was found near an Underground Atlanta parking deck at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Pryor Street, according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. Footage from Channel 2 Action News showed authorities focusing their efforts on a black medium-to-large size suitcase with wheels.
As a precaution, no one was allowed in or out of the Justice Center Complex. Roads around the courthouse were blocked starting around 8 a.m.
A bomb squad robot was deployed to examine the suitcase sometime after investigators arrived, footage showed.
A bomb technician dressed in protective gear later approached the suitcase and opened it, the news station’s broadcast showed. The technician appeared to remove multiple items before walking away. Several other investigators then approached the suitcase before it was finally removed around 10:30 a.m.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation was considered normal procedure.
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
The closed streets included Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Pryor Street, Mitchell Street and Central Avenue, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. The closures caused “major backups,” according to the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency, which was monitoring the situation. Some MARTA bus routes were delayed, the transit authority reported.
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