An abandoned backpack found near Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, caused police to investigate it as a suspicious package Saturday night.
Montgomery County Police said the backpack was found near the roadway leading up to the main entrance to the medical center on Rockville Pike.
A section of Route 355, from Cedar Lane to Jones Bridge Road, was closed off for the investigation for over an hour.
Police said the Montgomery County Fire Marshal and the Montgomery County Bomb Squad were called in to investigate for explosive material. They deemed the backpack safe after learning a person had forgot it and left it on the roadway.
County officials reopened the closed off portions of Route 355 after 9:30 p.m.
Following police activity, Rockville Pike (MD-355) is now reopened from Cedar Lane to Jones Bridge Road. Expect residual delays. Seek alternate route. #MDTRAFFIC
— MC Emergency Mgmt (@ReadyMontgomery) October 4, 2020
The entrance has been filled with demonstrators throughout the day as President Donald Trump stays at the campus for coronavirus treatment.
Here is a map of the scene.
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