MELBOURNE, Fla. – A cleaning crew found a suspicious item, which officials have determined was a "destructive device," outside a Melbourne business early Thursday morning, according to the Melbourne Police Department.
The woman who manages the shopping plaza called 911 around 5:50 a.m. and said one of the janitors found a plastic bag with a bottle inside. The item was found near a trash can about 15 feet away from Richard's Paint on Stack Boulevard.
"My janitorial staff just called and said that there is a plastic bag with a bottle and something in the bottle and he's concerned about what it is. He doesn't want to touch it," the 911 caller said. "He's not normally someone who reports weird things, so he must be concerned about it."
Police described the item as a plastic bag with a small bottle inside. The bottle contained some kind of liquid and metal objects and there was a wire or a cord coming out of the top.
Investigators shut down the roadways as they investigated. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office assisted and agreed that the item seemed odd.
"I seen all the tape and the bomb-squad cars and all the extra police trying to work and find out what's going on," witness Keva Wilson said.
The bomb squad took the item to a gun range in Palm Bay where it was rendered safe.
ATF officials announced Friday that the item was a "destructive device." The explosive material was collected for further testing.
Officials believe the device was placed near the paint store in the middle of the night.
There are currently no suspects, no threats and no motives as to why someone would leave the item in the parking lot.