No explosives were found in a suspicious package that prompted West Plains police to reroute traffic Friday morning, directing drivers away from the area of 10Box Cost-Plus grocery store on Kentucky Avenue; the package was detonated anyway, according to a statement released by police.
At about 9 a.m. Friday police officers responded to a call from 10Box, reporting suspicious circumstances, reported Officer Conner Burnes, spokesman for the police department.
After officers arrived, they found a package next to the building. Due to the circumstances and surveillance footage, officers then evacuated the building and contacted a specialist squad to deal with the package, said Burnes.
The package was later detonated by the specialist squad, but no explosives were found.
The store and nearby roads were reopened at about 3:30 p.m. Friday. City and law enforcement officials had taken to social media at about 10:30 a.m. that morning to ask drivers to avoid the area. Officers had blocked off access to Kentucky Avenue north of Broadway and cordoned off a section of the parking lot in front of the building.
The investigation is still ongoing, Burnes added.
“We would like to thank the West Plains Fire Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and South Howell County Ambulance for their help with this and greatly appreciate the cooperation of the public,” Burnes concluded.
