KANNAPOLIS — Late this afternoon, authorities removed a briefcase left in the parking lot of Cloverleaf Plaza that had forced the evacuation of businesses and the cancellation of classes at a community college extension.
Officials gave the all clear and the area was reopened. The Kannapolis Fire Department Haz Mat cleared the scene, but Kannapolis Police remained.
Following the discovery of what authorities called a “suspicious package,” Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s Cloverleaf Campus was placed on lockdown around 3 p.m. today. Other businesses in the plaza also closed for the afternoon.
Kannapolis Police Department Capt. Ken Jackson said around 2 p.m., the police department received a call from the owner of a vehicle who discovered a briefcase underneath her car. As a precaution, police evacuated area businesses.
The police department contacted the Cabarrus County bomb squad, which responded to the scene.
As a precaution, the college’s Cloverleaf Campus will be closed and all Cloverleaf classes will be canceled until Thursday morning. No other Rowan-Cabarrus campuses are affected. All other locations will conduct normal class schedules tonight.