An evacuated Walmart parking lot in Kona Thursday afternoon. This view is from near Denny's Restaurant mauka of Walmart. Photo special to Hawaii 24/7
Police have secured the entrance to the Kona Walmart parking lot on Henry Street. Here an officer blocks the entrance ramp near Denny's.
Baron Sekiya and Karin Stanton| Hawaii 24/7
1:50 p.m. September 17, 2009
It has been reported to Hawaii 24/7 that the Kailua-Kona Walmart has been cordoned-off and the area is being evacuated of employees and the public Thursday afternoon (Sept 17). Fire, hazmat crews and police are on the scene.
We are trying to get more info on the situation.
Updated 2:15 p.m, Sept. 17
Witnesses said a suspicious package was found in the parking lot of Walmart in Kona and hazmat crews are checking on the package to insure nothing dangerous is in the area.
The area has been sealed-off by police and evacuated as a precaution. The store is closed and witnesses said they hope to re-open by 4:30 p.m. this afternoon. The suspicious object appears to be almost in the center of the large Walmart parking lot.
Updated 6 p.m., Sept. 17
U.S. Army explosive experts are on the scene at Kona Walmart, where a suspicious package was discovered early Thursday.
Police confirmed they were alerted by a store patron at 10:47 a.m., then evacuated the store and parking lot.
The parking lot remained cordoned off while U.S. Army explosive experts were flown in from Oahu.
They were on the scene by 5 p.m.
Updated 9 p.m., Sept. 17Â
The Kona Walmart reopened shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, after being evacuated while authorities investigated a suspicious package.
Responding to a call at 10:47 a.m., officers learned a patron found a suspicious package in a garbage can in the parking lot. The patron alerted the store manager who in turn called in public safety personnel.
The Fire Department and Police Department determined the area should be cordoned off until the package could be examined by a U.S. Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal crew. Hazmat personnel tested the scene for both radiological and nerve agent compounds before U.S. Army members arrived.
The three bomb squad experts from the 706th Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit arrived at 5 p.m. after arriving from Scofield Barracks on Oahu.Â
They determined the brown paper package was not a bomb, although police now are investigating a cryptic note written on it. The Fire Department reported that the contents were DVD cases.
Walmart closed its store and no one was allowed into the parking lot from Henry Street or from the mauka access road.
A Walmart assistant store manager said the doors reopened just before 6 p.m.
“It was a false alarm, but we have to follow procedure. It’s better to be safe than sorry,” she said. “Everybody is OK and it’s business back to usual.”
The Fire Department responded with 12 crews, including three engines, two medics and a hazardous materials unit. Police also monitored the parking lot.
They returned to station shortly after 3 p.m.
No injuries were reported.
Police have opened a terroristic threatening investigation.Â
Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Benjamin Galluppi at 326-4646. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 or 329-8181.
Why was the Walmart evacuated?
Any updates?
It was good to face some difficulties rather than having to face any bad incident. The security staff did a good job while evacuating the store. Thanks good that nothing was there to worry about.
that hazmat fire crew in kona is awesome..i saw them monitoring…