Ward 1 D.C. Council member Jim Graham sent the following email out to the Columbia Heights email list just before 1 p.m.:

Dear Friends,

At approximately 11:30 am, Target received a call there is an explosive device in the building. An off duty MPD officer working at Target received the call and reported it to Management.

Management has evacuated the building as a result of what MPD says was a phone threat. 200 persons have been evacuated. I have spoken personally to the MPD officers who are in charge of the sweep. They see this as very possibly routine they are taking all due precautions. The dogs are entering the building now.

Explosive Ordinance Division (EOD) with the MPD is on the scene. 14th St has been closed between Irving St. and Park Rd.

Inspector Delgado has advised the EOD sweep of the building will take approximately 45 minutes.

Bests, Councilmember Jim Graham

This isn’t the only bomb threat/suspicious package we’ve heard about today. Reader Michael
Nemeth also wrote in to tell us that part of Pennsylvania Ave. near 2nd SE, not far from the Library of Congress, has been locked down in a similar manner.

Photo by IntangibleArts