Students and staff were evacuated from Pleasant Hill Elementary Monday afternoon after a suspicious object was found on campus.
Police were called in around 1 p.m. after a parent found an object in the bushes outside the office of Pleasant Hill Elementary School, according to Pleasant Hill Police. Officers arrived "in less than two minutes," according to the school principal, and recognized the object as a possible explosive device. The school was immediately locked down and the students and staff were evacuated to Oak Park Christian Center.
Click here to listen to a message from Pleasant Hill Elementary Principal Dr. Angela Hotchkiss about the incident.
The Walnut Creek Police Department Bomb Squad arrived on scene and were able to render the item safe, according to a press release from the Pleasant Hill Police Department. Police have released no further information about the item.
Police dogs trained in sniffing for explosives were brought in by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office to search the campus for any additional devices. None were found.
An investigation is under way, and the evidence is being examined. Video footage from the school's security cameras is being reviewed.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pleasant Hill Police Department Investigations Division at (925) 288-4630.
