An unattended shoulder bag outside the Cornelia Walmart resulted in a partial store evacuation and heavy police presence.
Cornelia Police Chief Jonathan Roberts says the incident began when a 911 caller reported a suspicious package at the woodline of the parking lot closest to the garden center.
Shortly before 4:30 p.m., the Cornelia police and fire departments responded to the store on Furniture Plaza. They were assisted by Habersham EMS, Demorest police, and a bomb-sniffing dog unit from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
“A perimeter was established, and the garden center was evacuated,” says Roberts. “The bomb dog was taken to the area and did not alert.”
The suspicious package turned out to be a cloth shoulder bag. According to Roberts, HCSO K-9 Handler Sgt. Eugene Kemp inspected the bag and found random personal items inside.
“The owner of the bag saw the public safety presence and claimed the bag,” the police chief says. The man told officers he left the bag at the woodline so he didn’t have to carry it into the store.
The scene was cleared without any further investigation.
“Thankfully, it was a false alarm,” Roberts says. He adds that he’s “very thankful for the response and multi-agency cooperation.”
