An Atlanta bomb squad has determined the "suspicious device" that closed Moreland Avenue today was a homemade pipe bomb, a police spokesman said.
Atlanta police spokesman James Polite said that after first testing the danger device with a robot, an Atlanta bomb squad member suited up and took it back to the lab for deactivation.
"To render it safe, we don’t know the explosive power of it to see it was actually live," Polite said. "It’s still very dangerous, so we’re going about all of the extra precautions."
The device caused police to close the 800 block of Moreland Avenue at Gracewood Avenue. Atlanta police went door-to-door in the area and asked residents to evacuate their homes around 3 p.m.
Moreland Avenue is now back open, Polite said.
Bystanders heard two loud booms, which we mistaken for explosions, but Polite said the bomb squad was simply testing the level of precaution they needed to take with the device.
Jeanie Bush and Don Stevens heard the two bangs.
"I heard the first one from my house around the corner, and it sounded like a transformer blowing up, " Stevens said. "The second one wasn't as loud, it sounded more like a firecracker."
WSB-TV reported that the device was originally spotted on Moreland Avenue Saturday evening, but police weren't called until Sunday. Polite said a motor unit saw the device in the middle of the street on Moreland Avenue at 1 p.m. Sunday and called it in as a suspicious device.
"Our bomb techs thought it was authentic enough to do what they did in our precautions," Polite said. "The difference [between a package investigation and a device investigation] is that a package -- you can not see what is in it, a device -- you can see the make up of it," Polite said.
Capt. Jolyon Bundridge of the Atlanta Fire Department said the device had visible wires and a battery, but was unsure of its size. Atlanta Fire is playing a supporting role in the investigation, should anything go awry, Bundrige said.
Polite said the robot used in Sunday's device investigation was essential.
"It's a very sophisticated and much-needed equipment for the bomb unit. They rely on it for the safety of everyone," Polite said. "They're able to take [the device] and move it long distances."
What comes next will take time.
"They’ll take the device back, they’ll analyze it to see what’s going on," Polite said. "This will be a full investigation of the area, and Homeland Security is involved."
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