LAPD: No Bomb At CAA Building, But Hazmat Team Still Inside Checking “Unknown Liquid” – Update

FINAL UPDATE, 8:40 PM: The building was reopened a little past 7:30 PM. People are back inside, along with security officials, valets and such, but authorities still aren’t saying what the “unknown liquid” was. The building will be open for business as usual on Thursday.

4th UPDATE, 5:59 PM: The LAPD’s Lt. Allen Schubert told reporters that was no bomb in the building, but the suspicious package does contain “an unknown liquid. It’s no longer a bomb squad issue, it’s now a Hazmat issue,” he said. “The biggest cause for concern now is that we don’t know if it’s a toxic chemical in the box.” The building and street still are closed and will remain so until they determine what the liquid is and whether it’s potentially dangerous. About a half-hour ago, one dedicated CAA assistant said he needed to get back inside because he had work to do and asked how long it would be. The answer: We don’t know. Police also were uncertain about whether the building would reopen on Thursday, but the bomb squad were packing up to make way for the Hazmat team.

3rd UPDATE, 5:20 PM:

One of the four bomb squad techs just came out of the building and spoke with authorities but not reporters. He then put on his blast mask and went back inside. The Fire Department also remains the building. The Hazmat team were on their way to the scene. Because the high-rise houses a number of consulates, reps from some international media outlets are covering the story. The Annenberg Foundation is headquartered in the building as well.

2nd UPDATE, 4:20 PM: Deadline’s Anita Busch reports from the scene that the police are closing Avenue of the Stars from Constellation Boulevard to Century Drive. Olympic Boulevard remains open. Four LAPD bomb squad technicians are on site along with the city’s Department of Transportation and the Fire Department. Authorities are working with Universal Protective Service, which is the building’s security outfit. They evacuated both the North and South sides of the building as four bomb squad technicians went into the building where they will x-ray the box which is on the 9th floor. Most of the CAA agents have gone home, either taking cabs or Uber cars.

UPDATED, 3:57 PM: A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman tells Deadline that officers were called at about 1:30 PM to the Deutsche Bank office on the ninth floor of the office building at 2000 Avenue of the Stars in Century City. “A FedEx package delivered to the bank was determined to be suspicious,” Lt. John Jenal said. “There was no ticking sound and no wires, but there was an odor that emanated from the package and other packaging issues that were suspicious. A police bomb squad was dispatched to assess the package. At least a partial evacuation was ordered.” Jenal wasn’t sure if the entire building was involved, and he had no ETA on when the situation would be resolved.

PREVIOUSLY, 3:31 PM:

The Century City building that houses CAA’s Hollywood operations has been evacuated over security concerns. The headquarters are on Avenue of the Stars and sources said that the entire building was emptied out for a precautionary reason. This isn’t related to the agency. Word is this was about a security concern having to do with a suspicious package dropped at a bank there. There are dozens of police cars in the area and bomb-sniffing dogs, we’re told. Word is that no one expected to be allowed back in the building for a minimum of two hours. That means nobody will be able to get into the garage to get their cars.

Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.

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