Bomb squad destroys suitcase left on downtown street

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington Police officers and members of its bomb unit blocked off a part of N. 3rd Street this morning downtown because of a suitcase left in front of a deli near the courthouse.

Police notified the public of the incident at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday; the suitcase was destroyed by their robot, Sheila, at around 11:15 a.m with a water charge. They found some clothes and food in the suitcase. Officials cleared the package just before 11:30 a.m.

Sergeant Mike Donelson says they will take the contents and try to identify who the suitcase belonged to.

“It’s a bomb until we can prove it’s not a bomb,” Donelson said. “It was called in as suspicious. We treat it as if it’s going to blow up. That’s why nothing is fast when we do this. It takes a lot of time getting the bomb tech in the suit. We have to get the robot down there and in exactly the right place. We want to make that one charge, that one shot and make it count.”

The road was blocked between Market and Princess streets. The suitcase was left in front of the Cousin’s Deli, which sits directly across from the courthouse.

On Tuesday, WWAY was invited to a training session with the WPD bomb unit to find out how they prepare for incidents like today’s in front of the courthouse. For that story, click here.