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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Suspicious briefcase closes Post Street Bridge

Case yields recorder when opened nearby

Staff Reports

A suspicious briefcase found at the north end of the Post Street Bridge in Spokane on Monday morning contained an old camcorder.

The bridge was reopened at 10:40 a.m. after being closed when the case was discovered on the sidewalk.

The Spokane law enforcement explosives team responded to the incident and removed the case, taking it to a vacant lot north of the Monroe Street Bridge.

There, the team opened the briefcase and discovered what the police are describing as an old-fashioned camcorder.

The briefcase was reported about 8 a.m. and the bridge was closed a short time later.

Monday’s incident follows the discovery of another suspicious briefcase near the Kootenai County Fairgrounds on Friday evening.

That briefcase contained an explosive device. It was reported by passers-by who spotted it while they were heading to the North Idaho Fair, Coeur d’Alene police said. The case had the words “Warning do not touch” and “Boom” written on it in black ink. It was left in a grassy area near the sidewalk on Second Street.

On Monday, Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for leaving the briefcase in Kootenai County.