Concern over suspicious package in car at the Riverfront deemed unfounded

Wilmington officers and federal authorities were investigating a home in the city's Trolley Square neighborhood Wednesday afternoon after a car with a suspicious package was found inside a vehicle in a Riverfront parking lot, city police said. 

After nearly four hours of investigation, suspicions about the package inside the vehicle were deemed to be unfounded and police started leaving the Riverfront scene about 3:30 p.m.

While investigators were leaving the Riverfront, city officers and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives remained at the Trolley Square home in the 1500 block of Gilpin Avenue, going in and out.

The vehicle at the Riverfront is registered to a person who lives at the Gilpin Avenue location, Wilmington Police Sgt. Stephanie Castellani said. 

Police searched the home for additional possible explosive devices, Castellani said. 

Wednesday's incident began about 11:30 a.m. when city officers were dispatched to the Riverfront for a call of a suspicious vehicle parked in the far southwest end of the Riverfront parking lot. 

The car was parked near at least 20 school buses.

Castellani said students had been watching baseball at Frawley Stadium, as the Blue Rocks played. 

Some students were returned to their schools after additional school buses arrived to transport them back.

About 250 students remained inside Frawley Stadium and played games while police were on scene.

Administrators and bus drivers from Caesar Rodney and Smyrna school districts remained outside the stadium watching events unfold about 200 yards south of where the Blue Rocks play.