Los Angeles – A backpack with the word "bang" written on it prompted authorities to evacuate sections of Union Station in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
The bag belonged to a person whose nickname is "Bang Bang" and contained nothing suspicious, the Los Angeles Times reported.
About two and a half hours after shutting down sections of the busy station -- ahead of the beginning of the rush-hour commute -- authorities were preparing to reopen the transport hub about 7:15pm local time, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told the newspaper.
The sheriff's department earlier confirmed the incident on Twitter.
"5:35PM,Tues,Suspicious luggage on @MetroLosAngeles Red Line subway train, UnionStation #LASD Transit Services & LASD BombSquad on scene," read the tweet.
The bag was spotted by a security guard at the station who alerted authorities.
"It had the name 'Bang' on it," Lt. Vince Carter told the Times. "That made deputies suspicious."
Authorities stopped the train and cleared parts of the station after the bag was found about 4:50pm.
Bomb squad investigators were called in to investigate the bag, but it did not contain explosives.
The Red Line and Purple Line were affected by the partial evacuation, KABC-TV reported.
Travelers were instead being transported on buses, with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority advising of delays of up to 20 minutes.
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