Suspicious Package Briefly Shuts Penn. Ave. SE on Capitol Hill

[Ian David]

A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE just gave part of Capitol Hill a bit of pre-July 4 excitement.



Police shut down the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 4th Street SE, four blocks from the U.S. Capitol, while investigating what looked like a bag underneath a mailbox. Officers directed vehicles and pedestrians — including at least one confused-looking tourist — around the scene as a person in a police uniform was seen inspecting the bag by hand, as seen in the photo at right.

The police tape was removed from Pennsylvania Avenue at around 10:15, about a half-hour after the incident began. No immediate word on what was in the package.

The street closures come amid heightened security for Washington's July 4 festivities, which has been stepped up following the terrorist activity in Great Britain over the weekend, The Post's Fredrick Kunkle reports. That security includes patrols at Metro stations and a delayed opening of
the West Lawn of the Capitol to fireworks-viewers.

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