UPDATE at 11:23am - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department has advised that the suspicious device discovered outside of the El Dorado County Courthouse located at 1354 Johnson Blvd. has been deemed as non-explosive. Normal business activities are resuming at South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Sherriff and El Dorado County Courthouse.
Evidence is being collected and will be processed for further investigation by law enforcement, detectives and officials.
###
9:33am - At approximately 6:35am this morning, an El Dorado County Groundskeeper working at the El Dorado County Courthouse located at 1354 Johnson Blvd. noticed a suspicious device in front of the courthouse.
South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded and contacted Tahoe Douglas Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit to assist in the safe assessment and removal of the device. Tahoe Douglas is currently in the process of deploying the robot which is used in such events. Law enforcement, detectives and officials are following up on a variety of leads.
Be advised that South Lake Tahoe Police Department's Dispatch center has been evacuated and all emergency and non-emergency calls are being forwarded to El Dorado County Sherriff's Department at (530) 573-3000.
South Lake Tahoe Middle School is far enough away to not be directly affected; however, they have taken the protective measure of cordoning off the fields outside of the school.
Assisting agencies include; South Lake Tahoe Police Department, Tahoe Douglas Explosive Unit, California Highway Patrol, El Dorado County Sherriff’s Department, Douglas County Sherriff’s Department, FBI and South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue.
Additional updates will be provided as details develop. Media inquiries and interviews are being conducted at Bijou Community Park located at 1201 Al Tahoe Boulevard.