Bomb scare interrupts event at O.C. library

A suspicious package that prompted hundreds to evacuate the Huntington Beach Library on Friday was not a bomb but a hoax, bomb squad investigators found.

The hand-made device had no explosive nature, Huntington Beach Fire Department spokeswoman Martha Werth said.

Assemblyman Jim Silva was at the library but left before the evacuation. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher may have been evacuated from a small business fair at the library.

Silva’s District Director Erik Weigand said the truncated event was organized by government agencies to help small businesses.

“It’s pretty upsetting ... it ruined a great event. When we were there, every [government] agency, federal to local was there to help small businesses,” Weigand said. “For somebody to do that ... is rather unfortunate.”

The investigation will be turned over to police and sheriff to try to track down a culprit, Werth said.

— Michael Alexander