Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron says bomb technicians are determining whether any are dangerous or explosive. The mall has been evacuated and the scene remains under active investigation.
The reports of these packages follow the arrest of a man who drove his small-size SUV into a local Target store located in the Hammond Square Mall before dropping a package in the store. Local news anchor Kiran Chawla first shared the news via Twitter.
Only one person received minor injuries from broken glass due to the man’s crashing into the store. Video from the crash shows the man stopping his car and shoppers running away from his vehicle while screaming, “Everyone get out of the store!”
Police say the man ran through the store after stopping his vehicle near the checkout lanes where he had crashed.
Bergeron says it’s unclear whether the unnamed man’s package contained any explosives or weapons, though he said the man had no firearms on him. Police say the man’s bag resembled the others found in the area, but they also think the man acted alone.
Police are currently questioning the man. No gunfire was exchanged during the incident or the man’s arrest.
During his Friday afternoon news conference, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said officers indicated that the man’s actions are unconnected to the ongoing national protests against anti-black police violence.
“That’s based on some very preliminary information I got just before I walked out, although, I don’t entirely rule that out,” Edwards said. “I think there may have been another cause for this…. it could have been motivated by something totally different.”
The local news station WAFB 9 reported dozens of officers descended upon the area, including agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Hammond Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and Southeastern Louisiana University Police.
The news follows reports of a shooter in the area, though police have said no evidence of a shooter has emerged. Nevertheless, they’ve instructed local residents to avoid the area.
During a Friday evening press briefing, Hammond city police said the suspicious device at Sanderson Farms was not a bomb, but was built to look like one. The suspect also seems mentally stable.
Shoppers at the mall were told to leave their cars and personal belongings in the mall parking lot. They will be notified when police believe it’s safe to retrieve them.
Newsweek reached out to Hammond Police Department for further information. This story will be updated with any response.
