LA TIME EVACUATED AFTER THREAT/SUSPECT WITH BACKPACK SAID TO CONTAIN "EXPLOSIVES"
washingtonpost.com
L.A. Times Evacuated After Threat
The Associated Press Monday, July 29, 2002; 11:27 PM
LOS ANGELES –– The Los Angeles Times building was evacuated Monday night and surrounding streets shut down after the newspaper received a bomb threat.
The newspaper notified police after receiving the call, said Officer Jason Lee, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman. Officers arriving on the scene cornered a suspect alone on the building's first floor, Lee said.
Police said the man had a backpack he said contained explosives.
"We've got the individual contained in a particular segment of the Times building and we're awaiting the response of our SWAT personnel and our crisis negotiation personnel in an attempt to get this matter resolved safely," Lee said.
Lee said it was not immediately known how many people had been in the building, located in downtown Los Angeles. An area extending two blocks in every direction was sealed off. At least two other, smaller buildings near the Times offices were also cleared out.