Military ordnance removed from USPS building in South Fulton, police say
A military ordnance, previously described by police as a “real explosive,” was safely removed Thursday from a United States Postal Service facility in South Fulton that had experienced a bomb threat last month, authorities said.
An employee at the facility in the 120 block of Villanova Drive spotted the suspicious device at about 7 a.m. and contacted South Fulton police, whose officers evacuated the building and shut down the road, according to South Fulton police spokesperson Tori Cooper. Residents were asked to avoid the area, which is near Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
Cooper said the Atlanta Police Department’s bomb squad safely removed the device by 10:30 a.m. and took it to a secure location for a controlled detonation. An X-ray scan conducted by Dobbins Air Reserve Base had provided “concerning results,” she said.
But after detonation, Cooper said, “it was confirmed that no explosive materials were present.”
Authorities haven’t shared what type of device it was, but they were looking into how it got there. A military ordnance is a term for military supplies that can include weapons, ammunition and equipment.
The incident was the second reported bomb threat at the facility within the past few weeks, Cooper said. On Sept. 24, police evacuated the building after a suspicious item had reportedly been returned as undeliverable. Cooper said she was not sure if that device was determined to be a real explosive.
In a statement, Cooper said South Fulton police were continuing “to work with our community partners to determine the origin of the device and prevent future incidents.” Atlanta police said they were not the lead agency investigating the incident.
“We thank our public safety partners and the community for their cooperation and patience during this incident,” Cooper added.
