Police reopen downtown streets after suitcase deemed harmless

Police have reopened parts of Punchbowl and Halekauwila streets that were closed downtown at midday when a suitcase left in the area was deemed suspicious.

An officer from the bomb disposal unit approached the suitcase, scanned it with a device and determined it was not explosive, police said.

Streets were reopened at 2:42 p.m.

Punchbowl had been closed from Queen Street to Nimitz Highway. Halekauwila was closed from South Street to Nimitz.

The item was on the ewa side of Punchbowl Street, makai of the Halekauwila intersection near a driveway to the federal building parking garage. It was reported about 12:40 p.m. and officers closed the streets about 12:45 p.m.

Police were directing traffic to alternate routes.