No Bomb Found During Search of South Lake Tahoe's Y

Customers and employees were evacuated from businesses around noon today at the South Y Center in response to suspicious circumstances surrounding an overheard conversation and a possible bomb.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department received a call from an employee at the South Y K-Mart, stating they had overheard a suspicious conversation between store patrons. The employee stated that the patrons had exited the store and that the employee walked around the shopping center and reported hearing a ticking sound coming from the shopping center general mailbox.

South Lake Tahoe Police Department Officer Aaron Crawford was first to respond. Office Crawford has extensive bomb experience and determined further investigation was warranted.

South Lake Tahoe Police and Fire Departments responded and closed off the South Y Center parking lot. The Tahoe Douglas Bomb Squad was contacted and responded to the scene which included their specially equipped robot.

Employees from stores at the "Y" spent two hours waiting outside before the Tahoe Douglas Bomb Squad and South Lake Tahoe Police gave everyone the all-clear to return work. Students at nearby South Tahoe High were held in classrooms for the duration after school authorities instituted a "shelter in place."

Around 2 p.m. today, the Tahoe Douglas Bomb Squad stated that no explosive device had been located. The “shelter in place” at South Tahoe High School was released.

Highways 50 and 89 remained open during today’s incident.

An investigation into today’s activities is continuing.