Police

Update: ‘Suspicious package’ turns out to be briefcase

(Credit: Carrie Miller)
(Credit: Carrie Miller)

Update (6:30 p.m.):  The “suspicious package” prompting an evacuation of the state Supreme Court buildings near downtown Riverhead Tuesday afternoon turned out to be an attorney’s briefcase, Riverhead Town police said.

Detective Timothy Hubbard said an attorney contacted police notifying them that he had forgotten to retrieve the bag, after putting it down to drop off something at the courts.

“He came back to pick it up and all was in order,” Det. Hubbard said.

Police cleared the scene about 3:40 p.m., allowing people back inside, he said.

Original Story: The state Supreme Court buildings near downtown Riverhead were evacuated Tuesday after reports of a “suspicious package” on the second floor of one of the buildings, New York State court officers said.

As of 3:30 p.m., a Suffolk County Police Department bomb squad unit was on the scene near the complex’s Court Street entrance.

A man reporting for jury duty at the time of the report said a police officer asked everyone inside to evacuate.

“He said it in a calm manner, but didn’t say if it was for a drill or an emergency,” said the man, Gregory Merz. “Right away I didn’t feel a sense of urgency, but I realized when they said a bomb squad was coming to investigate that it was not a drill.”

Mr. Merz said he was asked to leave the building about 2 p.m.

It was not clear what, exactly, was found in the building or if the bomb squad had made any determination as to whether it was dangerous.