Police find suspicious bag near parade route

Sarasota Police closed Main Street for roughly 20 minutes to investigate a suspicious backpack found near the staging area of the Sarasota Holida Parade Saturday, Dec. 7.

After hearing a report from a concerned caller — and minutes after the final holiday floats left the area — officers roped off a section of Main Street east of Washington Boulevard at around 8:20 p.m. Police rerouted several groups of parade-goers during the short investigation.

Police cleared the area before 8:45 p.m. when officers determined the backpack was filled with clothes and was not a threat.