ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) – Several area homes were evacuated and students were sent home after a suspicious package was found outside a north St. Louis school.
Shortly before 1pm today, a suspect walked up to the front steps of Moline Elementary School and placed a “package” on the front steps. The person then left. The staff at the school—part of the Riverview Gardens School District—then heard a small explosion they believed to be a firework. Fearing the package could have explosives in it, the school immediately evacuated all the children and staff inside.
St. Louis County Police tell FOX 2 that some neighboring homes may also have been evacuated. The St. Louis County Police Bomb & Arson squad has been dispatched to the school at 9865 Winkler Drive. The nearest cross street is Chambers Road. Once Bomb and Arson arrive, they handled the package with the robot and bomb officers and determine if there is a problem.
Melanie Powell-Robinson of RGSD confirms the kids have all been taken from Moline Elementary to Westview Middle School School and will be dismissed from their this afternoon. The students will not go back to Moline Elementary today.
Suspicious pkg being looked into at Moline Elementary in#NorthCo. All kids are evac’d & safe. Bomb & Arson detectives investigating.
Handling an incident in the 9800 block of Winkler in #NorthCo. Pls avoid the area while we investigate.