By Sadie Hunter
UPDATE: Witten Park has been reopened. The Indiana State Police Bomb Squad techs found the device and deemed it non-explosive.
After a quick response by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, two suspicious devices found at Westfield’s MacGregor Park have been deemed harmless and taken into evidence.
Just after 10 a.m. Aug. 4, deputies of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the park at the northeast corner of U.S. 31 and Ind. 38 after a Westfield Washington Parks and Recreation employee spotted a device while walking the trails.
Upon reporting the findings to the police, the park immediately closed, not to be reopened until nearly 2 p.m.
Once police arrived at the scene, they began walking the trails in search of any other potentially harmful items, when they discovered a second device.
“Our deputies arrived and found the device. While checking the area, they found a second device located on the trail in the northeast section of the park. The device appeared to be some type of canister with wires attached to it and either duct tape or electrical tape,” said Deputy Bryant Orem, public information officer for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. “They were both very close together…within a stone’s throw of each other.”
Orem said because of the nature, location and description of the items, the Indiana State Police Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) Team was dispatched to inspect the devices, taking X-rays.
“[They] stated that they probably were some type of incendiary device,” Orem said. “They were rendered harmless., and the EOD team said that they would not have exploded the way that they were built.”
Washington Township Trustee Danielle Tolan said the eight-year-old, 96-acre township park has more then three miles of walking trails and that parks and recreation employees regularly walk the trails to be sure everything is in safe and in good condition.
“We walk them (the trails) at least two to three times a week,” Tolan said. “It’s a shame because this is a beautiful park. It’s kind of a hidden gem here in our township and Hamilton County. We’re sad that somebody would do this, but we’re glad that nobody got hurt.”
Orem said there are currently no suspects, and MacGregor Park does not have security cameras on the trails.
“At this point, we’ll have to go through an investigation to determine if there are any suspects,” he said.
Earlier on Aug. 4, a similar incident took place in Fishers’ Witten Park, 13578 E. 131st St., just off of Olio Road., where police and a bomb squad were dispatched.
No confirmation has been given by the Fishers Police Department or Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office on the findings in Witten Park.
Orem did not confirm or deny whether he or police believed the two incidents were related.
“It’s too early. We’ll have to go through an investigation, and I’m sure we’ll be comparing the types of devices and things like that,” he said.
At 2:08 p.m., Fishers Police Department updated their Twitter account, saying, “ISP using robot to assess the device in (Witten) Park.”
Earlier in the day, at 1:09 p.m., the department’s Twitter account confirmed the Indiana State Police Bomb Squad was on the scene.
“Obviously safety is our No. 1 priority,” Orem said. “We would encourage anyone who spots a suspicious person, suspicious package, things like that…Please report them to the police.”
To report suspicious activity or items to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, call Hamilton County Communications at 317-773-1282, or call 911.