'Suspicious item' reported at airport Thursday night did not impact terminal activities, flights, AUS says

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some employees at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport were evacuated and others sheltered in place temporarily Thursday night while police investigated what airport officials called a "suspicious item."

The Austin Police Department's Explosive Ordinance Disposal responded to the cargo area at AUS to investigate a suspicious item Thursday around 8 p.m., according to a memo sent to city council and the mayor, which was obtained by KXAN.

AUS posted on X that the item was in the Belly Freight Area, which was closed to the public, and that terminal activities and flights were not affected at the time.

The memo noted that employees who work in the area were sheltering in place, with "some having evacuated."

AUS said later in an update that police cleared the item and Belly Freight Operations were able to resume.