By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
September 14, 2012

Yellow police tape blocks off the intersection of 12th Street and Locust Street as a precaution. Leslie Collins

Portions of downtown Kansas City were blocked off today as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City Police Department investigated a parked car with possible explosive devices.

Employees in the Richard Bolling Federal Building and the Fletcher Daniels State Office Building were evacuated as a precaution. Two Federal Building employees told Northeast News that evacuations for the Federal Building began at around 3:10 p.m.

The investigation began shortly after an individual entered the Federal Building today and asked if he was under investigation by a federal agency, an FBI released statement said. The man did not make a bomb threat, but due to witness accounts, the FBI erred on the side of caution and used a canine unit to sniff the man’s car, which was parked at 615 E. 13th St.

KCPD Media Unit Sgt. Marisa Barnes told Northeast News that the canine unit got a “hit” on the vehicle for a possible explosive substance. Around 12:03 p.m. KCPD Bomb and Arson was notified of the incident, she said. A KCPD robot was then used to search the car, a tan Mitsubishi Galant. The robot was still searching the car at 3 p.m.

KCPD blocked off 12th Street to 13th Street and Cherry to Holmes as a precaution. The FBI also issued a temporary 1-mile radius flight restriction around 2 p.m. That restriction was lifted shortly before 5 p.m.

The FBI has notified media that no explosive devices were found.

“The primary concern was for the public’s safety which made the actions today necessary,” the FBI stated.

A KCPD officer keeps watch at the intersection of 12th Street and Locust, ensuring the public doesn’t cross the yellow tape. In the background is the Federal Building. Leslie Collins

A stream of downtown employees leave work early due to the mandated evacuations. Leslie Collins