Backpacks blamed for 5-hour bomb scare in east El Paso

UPDATE, July 14: El Paso police said Wednesday that suspicious items triggering a bomb scare at an east side store plaza for over five hours turned out to be harmless.

A police spokesman said the items found about 3 p.m. Tuesday were abandoned backpacks.

"As a precaution, the bomb squad went out, and they determined the bags were safe sometime after 8 pm.," Officer Henry Cisneros told ABC-7.

ORIGINAL REPORT, July 13: EL PASO, Texas -- The El Paso police bomb squad on Tuesday evening continued to examine suspicious items found at an east side shopping plaza.

The strange item swas found at Yarbrough and Vista Del Sol in a shopping complex that included a fabrics store and a real estate office.

Bomb squad officers were dispatched to the scene about 3:00 p.m. and remained there examining the objects five hours later.

Police tape cordoned off the parking lot of the store plaza as bomb squad vehicles were parked in front of businesses, and an ABC-7 crew at the scene observed officers in explosive protective gear laying wires.

Investigators have not said if it was actually a bomb or a false alarm.