WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. Justice Department building in Washington DC was briefly evacuated during Monday morning's rush hour after a suspicious package was found on a nearby bus.

    Steven Taub, a spokesman for the capital city's transit system, was quoted by CNN as saying that a homeless person had left a package on the bus near the Justice Department building, which prompted the security alert and evacuation.

    After a brief investigation, police determined that the package was safe and the Justice Department building was re-opened, he said.

    Earlier, a Justice Department official said the evacuation was ordered "out of an abundance of caution" and that such evacuations were a "common occurrence." Enditem