False Alarm event in United States of America on Sun 19th April 2026

A church congregation in Oregon had to shelter in place during a service on Sunday while police investigated a suspicious package.

The Salem Police Department said officers responded to a report of a suspicious package on the 2500 block of 4th St NE at around 8:27 a.m. Sunday. Officers secured the perimeter and the nearby Salem Evangelical Church, which was in the midst of services, was asked to shelter in place.

The Salem Police Bomb Squad and an Oregon State Police Bomb Technician were called to the scene, and they used “specialized tools” including robots to assess the device. It was determined that the package did not contain explosive material and the package was rendered safe.

Local streets around the church were shut down for about three hours.

Police said they are investigating who may have left the suspicious package at the location. It was found and reported by a community member.