A suspicious package with protruding wires found outside Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital on Tuesday, July 28, prompted a multi-agency response that shut down Ridge Avenue for more than two hours before authorities determined the item posed no danger.

The Evanston Police Department responded to a reported bomb threat at the hospital, 2650 Ridge Ave., at approximately 5:01 p.m., according to an EPD press release. Officers established a secure perimeter, evacuated surrounding areas, and restricted access to protect patients, staff, visitors, and the public.

The Evanston Fire Department deployed a drone to provide an aerial assessment of the scene, and the Cook County Bomb Squad responded to evaluate the package.

The hospital was placed on a soft lockdown during the incident, with exterior doors secured while staff and patients remained inside, Evanston Now reported.

There was no full evacuation of the building.

Ambulances were rerouted to other nearby hospitals for the duration of the lockdown, according to EPD officers on the scene, the Evanston RoundTable reported.

Fire units left the scene by around 6:30 p.m. The soft lockdown was lifted at 6:45 p.m., and the last road closure on Ridge Avenue between Central Street and Monticello Place reopened by 7:15 p.m.

EPD Commander Kenneth Carter said in a statement at approximately 8:57 p.m. that "the suspicious device was evaluated and determined not to pose a danger."

"No injuries were reported, there is no ongoing threat to the public, and no arrests have been made at this time," Carter said. "This remains an active and ongoing investigation."

Northwestern University students were alerted to the threat via TripShot, the university's transit app, and intercampus shuttles were rerouted for the duration of the road closures, according to the RoundTable.

At 8:12 p.m., the City of Evanston posted on X that the area was secure and had reopened. ABC7 Chicago reported the situation was cleared by about 7:30 p.m. with no injuries.

No information has been released about who left the package or the nature of the original threat call. The investigation remains active.