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Salem court area evacuated in bomb scare Police say suspicious device was battery 'placed purposefully'

By Amanda McGregor
Staff writer
Published: February 10, 2008

SALEM — A bomb scare at Salem District Court prompted police to evacuate nearby stores, offices and a church yesterday morning while the state police bomb squad investigated an object that turned out to be a battery.

Around 10:30 a.m., a court employee spotted a suspicious black box propped against the front door of the courthouse and called police. Salem police immediately cordoned off the area by the intersections of Washington, Church, Federal and Lynde streets, and evacuated worshipers, patrons and employees in the neighboring buildings.

"As soon as we got down here we recognized this is a potential threat," said Salem police Sgt. Michael Andreas, "so we blocked the streets and made sure people were safe."

The courthouse is closed on Sundays, but a secretary was there doing work.

Judge Robert Cornetta, first justice of the Salem District Courthouse, said it was the second scare at the courthouse in a week. He said someone recently made a threat, so court employees aren't taking any chances.

"It was a criminal threat that we really can't discuss in detail," said Cornetta, who was at the scene yesterday. "We're cooperating with the Salem police, and we've turned over all the evidence."

At yesterday's scare, state police Troopers Eric Gahagan and Paul Horgan X-rayed the object and concluded it was a battery, not an explosive device. Otherwise, they would have detonated it, said Andreas, who praised all the emergency crews on the scene, including firefighters, ambulance, four Salem patrol cars, and state police.

Curious onlookers and evacuees gathered along Washington Street, huddling in doorways to take shelter from the rain. Employees of the Boston Hot Dog Company on Washington Street said they had to wait outside the restaurant for an hour and a half.

"We got here about quarter to 11, and they wouldn't let us in the store," said owner Strates Frangules. "We watched the (bomb squad) guy suit up, and it was show time."

Sisters Jessica and Alexandra Felix, of Salem, were at the Dunkin' Donuts on the corner of Norman Street when they heard the commotion and walked up Washington Street.

"I want to see it," Alexandra, 12, said of the suspicious object.

After the bomb squad cleared the scene, Andreas and Patrolman Victor Ruiz put the battery in a brown paper evidence bag and brought it back to the police station to be dusted for fingerprints and examined. It was a small black battery printed with yellow lettering, perhaps a motorcycle battery, Andreas said.

"My secretary was here (at the courthouse) this morning doing some work," said Cornetta, "and she came downstairs and found the device at the front door."

The bomb scare is under criminal investigation, Andreas said.

"It looks like it was placed purposefully right at the front door," he said. "Obviously we're going to take this as a serious threat."

During the scare, police blocked off Washington Street, from Essex Street on up, using police tape and parked cruisers with flashing lights. However, various motorists drove around a parked cruiser at Washington and Essex streets, only to be turned back by frustrated police officers.

"It was quite a fiasco," said Andrew Andrews, who works at Boston Hot Dog. "It's amazing how dumb people are — they don't pay attention."

Police responded to the report of a suspicious package on the Salem District Courthouse steps at 10:33 a.m. Police cleared the scene shortly after noon.

"They came to our assistance immediately," Cornetta said. "They cordoned off the area and got the bomb squad here. The police did a marvelous job."

"This day and age, it pays to be cautious," said Andreas, who had to go into the Tabernacle Church across the street from the courthouse to evacuate the parishioners. "It was the first time I had to interrupt Mass."

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