A busy downtown Victoria street is open again after being shut down for several hours on Wednesday while police dealt with a suspicious package.
The package was spotted in a City-owned Parkade on Yates Street near Government around 11:30 a.m.
It prompted police to cordon off the structure, evacuate some nearby businesses and close off the street.
A specialist VicPD team was called in to examine the suspicious package.
It was then decided to call in another team from the RCMP.
At around 6:30 p.m., an explosion could be heard as the first of two controlled detonations was carried out.
“We used two different controlled detonations to neutralize any potential risk that the package did hold,” said Bowen Osoko of the VicPD.
“We’re in the process of collecting evidence.”
He says the detonations caused no injuries and there was no damage to any property.
So what was in the suspicious package? Police say they’re still investigating.
Some of the many vehicle owners who’d hadn’t been able to access the parkade for roughly nine hours were allowed back in to retrieve them soon afterwards.
Ben O'Hara
