Suspicious item prompts bomb squad response

By on Friday, June 30th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

WALLA WALLA – A bystander reported a suspicious looking item sitting in front of Harbor Freight
Tools, located at 460 North Wilbur Avenue, Friday morning. Officers from the Walla Walla Police Department responded and were unable to determine what the item was. The Richland Police Bomb Squad later determined the item was not an explosive device.

At 6:24 am, Walla Walla Police received a call reporting a suspicious looking item in of the business. Officers arrived on scene and located a cylindrical metal item about six inches in length and three inches in diameter sitting on the sidewalk outside the front doors of the store. The store was evacuated, and a safety perimeter was set up around the item.

The Richland Police Bomb Squad was dispatched to the scene. The bomb squad used specialized equipment to analyze the item from a safe distance. It was ultimately determined the item was not an explosive device. The item was identified as a capacitor, an electrical device used in common household
electronics.

Detectives are looking at video surveillance footage to try and learn who left the capacitor there and
why. At this time, it is not believed the item was left there maliciously. If anyone has any information
about this incident, please call the Walla Walla Police Department at 509-527-4434.

Photo of capacitor left at Harbor Freight Tools via WWPD