On the night of Wednesday, July 31, the Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call from an anonymous individual reporting suspicious items had been left outside the Johnson County Courthouse in Iowa City.

The caller stated that the items were destructive and that law enforcement needed to retrieve them. Officers with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Courthouse, at which time the suspicious items were located on the exterior of the building. The area was closed off to traffic for several hours.

The Johnson County Metro Bomb Team responded to the scene, and after determining that the items did not present a hazard, removed them. It was ultimately discovered that the items were a stack of books.

Also assisting in the incident was the Iowa City Police Department, University of Iowa Police, and Johnson County Emergency Management.