UPDATED: Suspicious package in office building shuts down road in Ballston

Red Bomb Squad fire truck parked on city street with a group of people nearby and tall buildings in the background. — Bomb squad on scene of suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Group of police and emergency responders standing in a city street, discussing among parked vehicles and a fire truck nearby. — Suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

City street scene with police SUVs and cars stopped in traffic; white sheriff SUV with blue lights in foreground. — Suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

City intersection with crosswalk, tall office buildings, a gray pickup, a red emergency vehicle, and pedestrians nearby. 9th St N sign visible; urban street scene with traffic light. — Suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Firefighters chat on a city sidewalk with a fire engine and tall buildings in the background. — Suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Police cars with flashing lights block a City street; officers stand near a white Arlington, Virginia vehicle on a busy urban intersection. — N. Randolph Street in Ballston closed due to suspicious package (courtesy Emily D.)

Emergency response scene on a city street with a red Battalion Chief SUV and flashing lights in the foreground. — Suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Red fire truck with chrome bumper parked on a tree-lined city street, tall buildings in the background.", — Bomb squad on scene of suspicious package investigation in Ballston (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Update at 2:35 p.m. — Video posted to social media shows a truck, possibly bearing a U.S. Capitol Police logo, carrying an apparent explosive containment vessel and receiving a police escort on Washington Blvd around noon.

It’s still unclear whether an actual explosive device was found and removed during today’s incident.

What the F is this thing and why is it being escorted by unmarked police vehicles down Washington Blvd near Clarendon?

— Theo in Arlington (@adamtheo.com) 2026-08-19T16:06:52.755Z

Update at 12:20 p.m. — Units are now clearing the scene and the road is reopening after this morning’s suspicious package incident.

At approximately 8:19 a.m., PFPA responded to One Liberty Center, where @DeptofWar maintains office space, following the report of a suspicious object. PFPA units were on scene along with @ArlingtonVaPD and @ArlingtonVaFD. The all clear was given at 11:58 a.m. pic.twitter.com/LeNey6cqOV

— Pentagon Force Protection Agency (@PFPAOfficial) August 19, 2026

Earlier: A busy road in Ballston is blocked by emergency activity due to a reported suspicious package.

N. Randolph Street is closed between Wilson Blvd and 9th Street N. due to a suspicious object reportedly found inside a military office building on the block.

Pentagon police, Arlington County police, and the Arlington County Fire Department’s bomb squad are all on scene.

The incident started around 8:15 a.m., though more bomb squad units have been arriving over the past half hour, tipsters tell ARLnow. There’s no word so far on when the situation might be resolved and the road closure lifted.

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