A concerned citizen noticed a suspicious device on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, Thursday morning, and notified authorities. The call to the National Park Service came in just after 8-a.m., about a homemade device that was in the form of a bottle with a rope coming out of the top. Upon locating the device on the Iowa side of the bridge, Officers coordinated with the Omaha Police Department to shut down access to the bridge linking Council Bluffs to Omaha across the Missouri River.

A Council Bluffs Police Department Bomb Technician responded to the scene and rendered the device safe to transport. Officers conducted a sweep of the bridge to check for any additional suspicious devices. Once that search was completed and no additional devices were located the bridge was reopened to pedestrian traffic.

Authorities are continuing to work in partnership with the Omaha Police Department to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-7868 (STOP). Lt. Greg Schultz, with the Council Bluffs Police Department, says the incident and response “Is a great example of the principle ‘if you see something, say something’.  Authorities encourage everyone to follow the same principle to help make our communities as safe as possible.