UPDATE: Police: Suspicious object ‘not a threat’ on Washington Street in downtown Marquette

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - UPDATE: 6:30 p.m. June 15: Marquette Police Department (MPD) said the document holder, pictured above, used for heavy trucks and trailers was mistaken for a pipe bomb.

The object, pictured above, is a part from a semi-truck trailer. It is used to store registration information and paperwork.

MDP Captain Mike Laurila says the object was reported at about 9:55 a.m. Tuesday. It was sitting on top of the FedEx drop-box in front of the Post Office and Federal Courthouse building on Washington Street.

He said the immediate need was for the safety of those around the site, which is why businesses were evacuated.

“Our concern was the for safety of everyone inside the federal courthouse and everybody inside the businesses in the surrounding area,” Capt. Laurila said.

The Michigan State Police and a local K-9 Unit helped the MPD determine the object was not a threat to the public.

“It is a document, cargo holder that is typically affixed to the back of semi-tractor trailers that holds, for example, registration, work and things like that,” Laurila said. “It’s a tubular device with caps on both ends, so that was our concern at that particular time, that it wasn’t some type of explosive device. So, we wanted to make absolute certain, that it was in fact safe before we rerouted traffic back to normal and allowed people back to their businesses.”

Capt. Laurila said what truck or where exactly it came from hasn’t been determined.

“We are not 100% certain where it came from. We’re assuming it fell off the back of a semi-tractor trailer and it was inadvertently picked up, and placed on top of the [FedEx drop] box, to get it out of the way for pedestrian traffic,” he said.

While police say the person who reported the object did the right thing, the evacuation startled people downtown today.

“It’s scary,” Ronald Jennings said, who was sitting inside one of the evacuated building when the incident happened. “I didn’t think something like this would happen in Marquette but I guess it can happen anywhere.”

Police cleared employees and patrons to re-enter the buildings on the 200 block about an hour after the initial call.

The object is currently being held at the Marquette City Police Department for safe keeping.

UPDATE: 2:00 p.m. June 15: Marquette Police Department (MPD) has said the object found in downtown Marquette was deemed “not a threat.”

The object, pictured above, is a part from a semi-truck trailer. It is used to store registration information and paperwork.

The object was reported at about 9:55 a.m. Tuesday. Police were still on the scene as of 11:30 a.m., but employees and customers were allowed back into the buildings on Washington Streets.

The Northern Michigan University Police Department, Michigan State Police, Marquette City Fire Department and the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office assisted the MPD.

TV6 will update this story as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: 11:15 a.m. June 15: There is still a large police presence in downtown Marquette Tuesday morning following the report of a suspicious object.

As of 11:15 a.m., employees and customers were allowed back into the buildings on Washington Streets.

TV6′s Kendall Bunch continues to try to gather more details on the incident.

TV6 will update this story as more information becomes available.

ORIGINAL STORY: There is a large police presence in downtown Marquette Tuesday morning following the report of a suspicious object.

Marquette Police Department Captain Mike Laurila tells TV6 a suspicious object was reported on the 200 Block of Washington Street.

Businesses are being evacuated at this time. Employees of BabyCakes told TV6′s Kendall Bunch they were evacuated because of a “bomb threat” though law enforcement haven’t confirmed that at this time.

TV6 will update this story as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2021 WLUC. All rights reserved.