Brooklyn Bridge Reopens After Temporary Closure Over Suspicious Abandoned Vehicle

The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, which was closed to traffic for more than an hour after a vehicle was found abandoned on it, was re-opened after authorities determined that the vehicle did not pose a threat.

The blue-colored Dodge Durango was found in the right lane of the Manhattan-bound side of the bridge around 5:15 p.m. EDT, prompting the New York Police Department, or NYPD, to bring vehicle and pedestrian traffic to a halt around 6:00 p.m., AP reported.

The NYPD, which dispatched a bomb squad and other investigators to inspect the sport utility vehicle, gave an “all clear” around 7:00 p.m. and traffic resumed soon after. Earlier, police had evacuated the bridge before examining the SUV for threats and police vehicles were seen stationed near the vehicle blocking access.

An investigation is underway to verify the vehicle identification number and owner records, and to determine why the vehicle was abandoned on the bridge, a New York Post report said. It added that the police was alerted by a 911 call.

The closure, which came toward the end of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, is not the first time the bridge was closed over suspicions of threats. In October 2010, an unattended package led to a closure for less than an hour, until it was cleared after inspection.