Police say suspicious device caused 1-hour delay to start of Vancouver marathon
Police in Vancouver say an investigation into a suspicious device placed near the course of the city's annual marathon delayed its start by an hour and was placed to "cause panic or to disrupt the event," according to a release.
A volunteer with the BMO Vancouver Marathon, which features a half-marathon distance as well, alerted police to the device around 5 a.m. PT Sunday near Science World and promptly called 911, according to a release from the Vancouver Police Department.
Officers cordoned off the area and bomb technicians from the force were deployed to examine and destroy the device.
"The Emergency Response Team determined the device was not at risk of exploding and did not pose an immediate danger to the public, however the race start had to be delayed while the device was rendered inert," said the release.
Police did not describe what the device looked like.
Sgt. Steve Addision said that it appears the device was "strategically" placed along the half-marathon route where runners would pass by.
"Whoever did this was likely aiming to cause panic or to disrupt the event," he said.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPDNews?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPDNews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPD</a> explosives experts rendered inert a suspicious device near Science World on Sunday, delaying the start of the BMO Vancouver Marathon. It appears the device was strategically placed along the route to cause panic and disrupt the event. <a href="https://t.co/sMQHhGV4Bu">https://t.co/sMQHhGV4Bu</a>
Investigators from VPD's Major Crime Section, Forensic Identification Unit, and Operations Division are now collecting additional evidence.
No arrests have been made.
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