Bomb crew and FBI investigate backpack found in Overland Park elementary playground

Noelle Alviz-Gransee
·1 min read
1

Outdoor activities at one Johnson County school were cut short Monday afternoon while Overland Park police and the FBI investigated a suspicious package found near an elementary school.

Police got a call around 2 p.m. Monday, after a teacher found a backpack at Oak Hill Elementary along a fence behind the playground away from where kids would typically play, said Blue Valley director of communications Kaci Brutto.

“These types of calls, I hate to say, it’s quite normal,” said John Lacy, a spokesman for the Overland Park police. “But this one, the bomb tech saw something that made him feel a bit uneasy, so that’s why we have the FBI out here along with our bomb unit.”

A robot is being used to take photos and x-rays of the backpack. Outdoor activities were called off, but the school conducted a fairly normal dismissal, according to district officials.

“We were able to communicate with our families ahead of dismissal, just giving them heads up on what was going on and thanking them for their patience,” Brutto said.

Brutto said the safety of students, staff and community is of the utmost importance, and that the district plan to follow up with families after the investigation is complete.