| In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors. |
Man enters LA car dealership with fake bomb in possible extortion
Thursday April 17, 2003LOS ANGELES (AP) Police were investigating a suspected extortion plot after a man claiming to have a bomb entered a car dealership Thursday and demanded money.
But in an unusual twist, tightlipped-police said the man was not expected to be considered a suspect in the crime.
``What his role is doesn't appear to be a suspect,'' said Sgt. John Pasquariello, a department spokesman.
The man, whose identity was withheld, was being questioned.
The Felix Chevrolet dealership and surrounding businesses were evacuated for about four hours after the 10 a.m. incident, Pasquariello said.
The block in front of the dealership at Figueroa Street and Jefferson Boulevard, near the University of Southern California, also was shut down but reopened about 2:30 p.m., he said.
A police bomb squad was called in and determined that the device was fake, Pasquariello said.
Pasquariello he could release no further details because it was an ongoing investigation.
``We are actively investigating what we consider an extortion,'' he said. ``I really can't get into any more than that because it's very fluid.''
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