A Downtown Detroit building was evacuated and streets closed Sunday night after a bomb squad and firefighters were called to investigate a suspicious newspaper box placed outside of the offices of the Detroit News and Free Press on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 1995 strike.
A white bandage was tied around the newspaper box, and the words “POW” were stenciled in white letters on the side. Inside the box was a 1995 edition of the Detroit News, according to the Free Press.
A security guard told reporters that a man was spotted removing the newspaper box from an SUV and posing for photos earlier in the evening.
Firefighters and the bomb squad were called shortly before 10 p.m. to investigate. They cleared the scene and discovered no threat shortly after midnight.
Monday is the 20th anniversary of the 1995 newspaper strike, from which neither newspaper ever fully recovered.
Both newspapers moved from their larger home in February to the former Federal Reserve building at 160 W. Fort, which is owned by billionaire Dan Gilbert. Surveillance cameras are on the building.
Detroit police bomb squad at work trying to determine if there’s a threat . pic.twitter.com/iPa71NEz0x
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) July 13, 2015
Suspicious newspaper box prompts evacuation of Detroit News, Free Press added by Steve Neavling on
View all posts by Steve Neavling →
Steve Neavling
Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.
