OSP bomb squad destroys Redmond ‘device’

The Oregon State Police bomb squad in Salem was called to Redmond Wednesday to investigate and render harmless a “small, suspicious device” found in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven store, police said.

The owner of the 7-Eleven store at 1209 SW Highland Ave. found the object around 9:25 a.m. and contacted police, said Sgt. Bob Duff.

As a precaution, the OSP bomb squad in Salem was activated, Duff said, declining to be more specific about a description of the object.

Police taped off a portion of the parking lot to keep people away, though the store remained opened for business and there were no evacuations or road closures, the officer said.

After the bomb squad arrived and sized up the object, which appeared to witnesses to be a small firework or similar item, it was rendered harmless with a controlled detonation.

Redmond police asked anyone with information about the object to contact them through Deschutes County dispatch at (541) 693-6911, reference Redmond PD case No. 12-214233.