Roanoke DMV evacuated after suspicious backpack discovered

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - The Department of Motor Vehicles Customer Service Center in Roanoke was evacuated on Wednesday after an unattended backpack was found.

At about 1:32 p.m., DMV staff found the suspicious backpack left in the public waiting area in the building.

In order to keep customers safe, the building was evacuated.

State police bomb technicians were called to x-ray and determine if the backpack was a threat.

Technicians could not identify all the contents from the x-ray and used a "Pan Disrupter" to render the backpack safe.

As a precautionary measure, state police had explosive K-9's check the exterior of the building.

Once the building was clear at 4 p.m., customers and employees were allowed to return to the building.