Unattended Package Left At Pittsburgh JCC Detonated By Police
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — An unattended package left at a Pittsburgh-area Jewish Community Center was detonated by police.
The small canvas bag was left on a ramp leading to the parking garage under the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill building on Sunday afternoon, the local CBS affiliate KDKA reported.
The Pittsburgh Police Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit detonated the bag after closing the two roads around the building to traffic. The JCC was closed off for less than two hours.
The package turned out to be a bag of tools left behind by a worker.
“Out of an abundance of caution and in keeping with established security protocols, the JCC alerted and worked with the City of Pittsburgh Police Department this afternoon after an unidentified small package was discovered on our premises in Squirrel Hill,” JCC President and CEO Brian Schreiber said in a statement issued later on Sunday. “While we apologize for any inconvenience to our members and guests, the safety of the people we serve is paramount and we thank any of you who were in our facility for your patience.”
Schreiber in the statement reminded JCC members: “’IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING,’ whether at the JCC, on your street, and in your neighborhood.”
More than 100 bomb threats were made against JCCs throughout the United States in early 2017. An Israeli-American teen from Ashkelon was arrested and accused of making most of the threats.
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