The Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center reopened at noon on Tuesday, after a temporary closure following the report to Cumberland Township Police and National Park Services of a suspicious package deposited at the main entrance of the facility. According to a Cumberland Township Police press release, the package had “handwritten messages to NPS officials on it.” The content of the package and messages has not been made public yet.
A park employee discovered the package upon arrival at the building shortly before 7 am and felt that it looked like “it didn’t belong”, said GNMP Communications Specialist Jason Martz.
The Cumberland Township Police Department assumed incident command, supported by NPS personnel. According to Martz, the building was evacuated and safety perimeters were set up in the surrounding area. Adjacent roads, parking lots, and trails were cleared out and police closed all access to the area.
The Pennsylvania State Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was called in, took X-rays of the package, and safely removed the contents from the scene. Additional areas were searched, according to the police report. Upon conclusion of the searches, the building reopened for employees at approximately 11 am and to the public at 12 pm.
The NPS issued alerts to the public starting around 8 am, reporting closure of the Visitor Center due to “facility issues”. Cumberland Township Police Department (including Cumberland Township Savvy Citizen Alert services) also notified the public shortly after 8 am, advising the community to avoid the campus due to an “active police incident”.
Cumberland Township Police Chief Matt Trostel said public notices from agencies had been helpful in keeping the area clear of unnecessary traffic during the police activities at the scene. Trostel said the “Cumberland Township PD does not have a bomb squad and relies on PA State Police Troopers to assist with these types of investigations.”
Trostel also provided the email address for the local PA State Police Public Information Officer, Troop H: Megan E. Frazer (megfrazer@pa.gov).etails of the investigation have not yet been released. According to the police press release, the following agencies participated in the investigation: Cumberland Township Police Department, National Park Service, Gettysburg Foundation, Schaad Detective Agency, Gettysburg Fire Department, Barlow Fire Department and Fire Police, Adams Regional EMS, Adams County Department of Emergency Services, Pennsylvania State Police.
Cumberland Township Police are asking for any information that may help in the investigation. Any information can be passed along to Cumberland Township Police Department via Adams County dispatch at 717-334-8101.
Donate Gardner is a freelance writer and journalist who came to Gettysburg from Montgomery County, Maryland. A former linguist-turned-legal professional, Donate recently retired from the corporate world and is eager to support her new community in a variety of ways. She currently serves as the news communicator for the Adams County migrant outreach program, Pasa La Voz.
As an immigrant born, raised, and educated in Western Europe, Donate maintains a strong connection to various other cultures and languages, both as a writer and advocate. Donate is an active musician, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. She and her husband have two daughters and three grandchildren.