LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A suspicious package was found left outside the federal courthouse in Los Angeles in western U.S. on Thursday morning, forcing the law enforcement officials in the building to evacuate for more than two hours.
"The package was found at the First and Broadway St. shortly before 10 a.m. When the police officers arrived, the building was evacuated in a short time, including federal judges and other staff," a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer told Xinhua over a phone call.
LAPD's bomb squad was sent to the courthouse to check on a suspicious package, but the officer didn't disclose if there was explosive in the package. The building was reopened around 12:30 p.m. local time.
"I went to downtown L.A. to pick up some document with my mother, when we were passing by the federal courts building, I saw the building was cordoned off by police tape. The police dog and officer were walking around. I heard someone said there was a bomb threat," local resident Robert Wong told Xinhua on Thursday.
The federal court building is a glass-cube structure, with 24 courtrooms and chambers for 32 judges on 10 floors.
