Bomb Squad Responds To Suspicious Truck At Manchester Pride Event

MANCHESTER, NH - The Queen City Festival was expected to go on as scheduled Saturday after the Queen City Pride Parade was evacuated while vendors began to set up.

The festival was scheduled to begin noon at Arms Park, and several vendors were setting up tents and trade show booths when Manchester police became concerned about a large white box truck parked in the area.

The unoccupied truck was in the middle of a parking lot and had no markings indicating to whom it belonged. Such a commercial-type vehicle would normally be expected to have Department of Transportation markings, and there were none.

Police cordoned off the park, and asked people to evacuate just before 9 a.m. Members of the New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad responded to assist Manchester police.

People were pushed back about one block and several streets were closed as a precaution.

State police in protective gear approached the truck and evaluated the situation. After about one hour, the truck was deemed safe, and Performance Towing was called to remove it.

Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said police believed the truck was suspicious based on where it was parked and the number of participants expected at Saturday's event.

The park was reopened so that vendors could set up, and the Queen City Pride Parade was able to be held on North Commercial Street.

Manchester police will continue to investigate the owner of the truck to determine why it was parked at the event.

If any official information becomes available Patch will provide an update.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news