Tonight we are learning the device found at the parking lot of the Justice Center causing employees downtown to evacuate their office place was a fake bomb.
And with this incident coming so close to September eleventh, Concetta Callahan reports law enforcement officials made the decision to get everyone out of harm's way immediately.

Employees of the Justice Center, County Court House, and Administrative Building were all evacuated early this morning about 2 to 3 blocks away from their work place and soon after sent home.

Carlos Maldonado - Chief of Police
"This is after September 11th and we just passed a day of reflection in terms of the events of September 11th and to me this is just another example of what our law enforcement and fire personnel do. They place themselves in harm's way."

At around 9 o'clock this morning a 9-1-1 call was made about a potential explosive device near the Justice Center.

Sheriff Martin Cuellar - Webb County
"Immediately we activated our security team at the court house. Good thing we responded quickly. In 10 minutes or so even before the bomb squad had gotten in we found the device."

What was believed to be an explosive device was found on the second level of the Justice Center's parking garage.
This discovery prompted Sheriff Martin Cuellar to send everyone home.

"We needed to make sure that we searched the rest of the building, the rest of the parking lot, to make sure there was no other device there."


"Law enforcement officials are releasing little details about the device found in this parking lot but they do ensure the public that the device found posed no harm."

It was in fact a hoax device that was discovered meaning it was made to look like a real bomb.
This was the conclusion after the Laredo Police Department's bomb squad examined the device and determined at no point was the public in any danger.

"Unfortunately there are times when incidents like this take place but the community has to rest assured and put their faith and trust in the law enforcement community."

"I thank God it was a hoax device. The investigation is still ongoing of course."


A special meeting will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow to discuss security issues and to make sure everything is in place at the Justice Center, Administrative Building, and County Court House in case of an emergency.