Bomb scares in downtown Madison have kept area law enforcement busier than usual this winter. The most recent scares took place Wednesday, as three threats occupied police for most of the day.
At approximately 11 a.m., a passerby reported he saw a man drop something into a manhole on Webster Street, about a block away from the State Capitol, according to Madison Police. The Dane County Bomb Squad arrived and determined the object was safe, but police then learned of a second object nearby. That object was also determined to be safe.
Later, around 2:30 p.m., a mail carrier reported a suspicious object in a public mailbox at the corner of Doty and Broom Streets. People in homes closest to the mailbox were evacuated and were not allowed to return to their homes until 5:15 p.m, after law enforcement determined the area was safe. Andrea Flohr was forced to wait behind police lines as the bomb squad worked.
'I just want my dog,' Flohr said.
Wednesday's incidents came after a pipe bomb exploded on Christmas Eve in the Capitol Square south parking ramp, 113 S. Henry St. The explosion damaged a car but did not cause any injuries. The same parking lot was the scene of two failed pipe bombs Nov. 22 and 23. Madison police announced Monday that all three incidents in the ramp are related and that they have a suspect. However, police said Wednesday's incidents were not connected to the parking ramp pipe bombs.
'None of them appear to match the downtown parking ramp bombs,' Madison Police Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said. 'They don't appear to be similar at all.'
Downtown Madison area businesses and citizens have been advised to stay on high alert in the wake of the scares. Police are encouraging citizens to be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity.
'We won't criticize people for making the right choice,' Madison Police Central District Captain Mary Schauf said.
'We would rather have people trained to evaluate suspicious-type items and assess them, rather than the public.'
