(Bridgeport, CT – Sept.  5, 2013) —  Local, state and federal law enforcement responded to Seaside Park today on a report of a pressure cooker left unattended along the shoreline.

The item was observed at about 11 a.m. in the eastern section of the park. The police and fire departments responded and cordoned off a section of the park and requested the assistance of the State Police bomb squad.

State officials conducted a controlled detonation of the item at about 2:45 p.m.

“Any time we receive a report of a suspicious package, we respond with an abundance of caution,” said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr.  “Today’s incident was no different. Obviously, considering the incident in Boston, we treated this as a credible threat, followed our protocols and requested the assistance of the State Police.”

The incident remains under investigation.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded and set up a 2,000 yard safety zone in the area for vessels on the water. Three buildings at the nearby University of Bridgeport campus were evacuated as a precaution.

The pot appeared to be empty.