KALAMAZOO, Mich. — On Wednesday morning, authorities in Kalamazoo responded to reports of a man in the downtown area wearing a “suspicious device on his chest.”
Around 10 am, someone called 911, saying a man was wearing a vest that seemed to be carrying explosives.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) urged the public to avoid the mall near South and Burdick street while officers worked.
We were called downtown for a report of a man carrying a suspicious device on his chest.
— KDPS (@KalPublicSafety) January 18, 2023
Please avoid the area near the downtown mall near South/Burdick as we continue to work the area to determine what has occurred. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/yj19hdy0fo
People were cleared to re-enter buildings around noon.
After investigation, officers learned the "suspicious device" was actually a weighted workout vest.
Officers say a person who lived downtown was working out while wearing a vest like the one pictured below:
The picture was provided by KDPS. While officers say this is not the exact vest worn in Wednesday's incident, officers say it's an example showing how easily the vests can be mistaken for something more sinister.
