Suspicious item shuts down Parkridge Medical Center area

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Several blocks were shut down around Parkridge Medical Center this afternoon to check out a suspicious package.

Around 12:30 this afternoon police were called to 100 Derby Street where the suspicious item was said to be in the back of an apparently abandoned truck.

A police spokesman says they were using “an abundance of caution” when they shut down several blocks around the Parkridge Medical Center area.

Officers say there was a note on the vehicle that advised not to move the vehicle. There was another note on what seemed to be a cooler.

The wide area from Willow to Kilmer on McCallie was shut down by police for about an hour.

CPD Patrol Supervisor Jason Wood said, “My understanding was that a technician suited up and had to go out and physically uh, inspect the device himself. Uh, sometimes they do xrays–other times they have to look at it and that’s their expertise and uh..I can’t talk what they do but again, a technician went out there and rendered it safe.”

Traffic was getting back to normal after the closures by 3 PM.