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FARGO — A "suspicious" backpack left Wednesday afternoon, May 4, at a Fargo mosque did not contain explosives, police said in a news release.
Officers responded at 12:17 p.m. to a report of a "suspicious package" left outside the Islamic Society of Fargo-Moorhead at 601 28th St. S. The backpack was reportedly left by an unidentified man “showing suspicious behavior,” police said.
The man left the site before officers arrived, police said. A police dog alerted officers, suggesting further investigation was needed into the backpack’s contents, according to police.
The Red River Valley Bomb Squad determined no explosives were in the bag. Nearby businesses were asked to shelter in place during the search.
Police found clothing, personal items and an unidentified chemical in the backpack, said Gregg Schildberger, communications and government affairs director for the City of Fargo. No one was in the mosque at the time of the incident, he said.
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Investigators have no reason to believe criminal intent was involved in the incident, Schildberger said.
