Breaking News: Parts of Downtown currently closed

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Update: After going through the backpack, police found only miscellaneous items - no bomb, no anthrax, no illegal pornography. We're glad our city is safe! And that we have cool robots to perform dangerous tasks. Neat!

According to a News 8 Austin story published about, oh, 15 minutes ago (2:59pm), parts of downtown are/were shut down after the discovery of an abandoned backpack.

Police have shut down Sixth Street from Congress Avenue to Colorado Street and Colorado is closed from Sixth to Seventh streets.
Officials have asked that nearby offices either clear out or move all staff to the opposite side of the building. There are reports the old State Comptroller's Office building was evacuated.

Police are using a robot to inspect the bag.

The roads in the area are closed to traffic and pedestrians.

No word yet on whether or not the backpack is actually dangerous. We're hoping it's just some careless student who forgot to take it on the bus with him. But it's probably anthrax.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Bre in News on July 19, 2005 3:00 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Ginger Rogers

Hell's yeah! Robots! Robots are cool because they get to do things we can't. Like touch bombs, dance on Jeopardy, and drive around on Mars.

kss

gee nice to hear that we were supposed to move to the opposite side of the building. reason #3248132941724 why i hate my job at this very second.

productivity, people!

Julie

I just told my coworkers, who were discussing the possible bomb scare, that a robot was searching the bag. And then we all laughed. We are a couple of blocks away and deserve it if we get blown up. But come on, a robot!