Update on suspicious package incident

The Calgary Police Service has a man in custody in relation to a suspicious package incident that occurred on Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., a man was observed at the Marlborough CTrain Station holding a plastic bag that had white smoke coming out of it. A witness watched the man leave the bag in a parking lot of an automotive dealership, located in the 600 block of 36 Street N.E., and contacted police.

Officers arrived on scene and confirmed that smoke was still being emitted from the bag and noted a strong chemical smell. Officers immediately evacuated the Marlborough CTrain Station and the automotive dealership. Members of the CPS Tactical Unit were called in to remove the bag.

At this time, it is believed the bag contained a mixture of household cleaners, however the investigation and testing of the substances is ongoing.

Later that night, at approximately 7:55 p.m., Calgary Transit Peace Officers located the same suspect in the 400 block of 6 Avenue S.E., and took him into custody without incident. The suspect was observed to be holding a container and spraying fluid from it onto the sidewalk.

It is believed that mental health issues contributed to this incident. As a result, no further information will be provided at this time.

Officers would like to thank the public for their cooperation during the response and for their vigilance in reporting suspicious activity.

Police would also like to thank Calgary Transit Public Safety & Enforcement and the Calgary Fire Department Hazardous Material Response Team for their assistance in dealing with this incident.