Sheriff's Deputies Investigate Suspicious Object at Home Depot; Area Now Clear

The San Diego bomb arson unit was dispatched to examine a suspicious device at the Santee during the Thursday evening commute.

Authorities closed off traffic at Cuyamaca at the Mission Gorge intersection, no vehicles were being allowed in the area between there and Town Center Parkway for about 90 minutes. Parts of the Home Depot and parking lots were also closed off.

The day after, Sheriff's Detectives are working to determine who left what appeared to be a pipe bomb in the Santee shopping center.

The incident began around 5:24 p.m. when a female shopper noticed what could be a pipe bomb, according to a Sheriff's lieutenant. The device was described as about one foot long and capped on both ends, and was found near the sheds in the Home Depot parking lot.

A small detonation by the bomb squad was heard around 6:40 p.m. San Diego County sheriff's Sgt. Curt Goldberg said a water cannon was used, noting that the pipe was capped at both ends and later found to be completely full of half-inch to 1-inch-sized rocks. No one was injured.

Home Depot remained open, and employees and customers were outside watching the scene. One employee said purchases declined during the incident.

City News Service contributed to this story.

Updated April 23, 2011 @ 7:45 a.m.