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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 18, 2009

Bomb scare shuts down Kona Wal-Mart for hours


By Chelsea Jensen
Hawaii Tribune-Herald

KAILUA, KONA — The Wal-Mart in Kailua, Kona, was shut down for several hours yesterday after a suspicious package inscribed with a threatening note was found in the store's parking lot.

Police and fire responded to a 10:47 a.m. call from the store's management that a suspicious box had been found near a trash can. After seven hours, officials determined that the package didn't contain explosives or other hazardous materials.
"It all worked out fine," said police Sgt. Brad Freitas. "It is not an explosive device and there are no hazardous materials contained in it. Everything is safe."
Kailua Fire Station Capt. Sean Sommers said that Wal-Mart was essentially "shut down" for much of the day.
Rather than evacuate customers who were in the store, Sommers said they were allowed to finish shopping and leave on their own to minimize the chance of panic and confusion.
The suspicious box was found by a man looking for recyclables, said Sommers.
"There was a message on the box: 'Whoever finds this box, I hope you (expletive) enjoy it'," Sommers said.
The package was about the size of a cereal box, wrapped in what appeared to be a brown paper bag and clear plastic tape, Sommers said.
The man notified a store employee, who put the package in a shopping cart and pushed it to the end of a parking aisle, where it sat cordoned off.
Waikoloa's hazardous materials team was able to determine that the package didn't contain radioactive material or nerve agents.
The U.S. Air Force's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team arrived shortly before 5 p.m.
Within in an hour, the team determined the box didn't contain explosives and removed it.
Police have opened a terroristic threatening investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Benjamin Galluppi at 326-4646.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo.