Suspicious Device Found at Garner Church Rendered Safe and Destroyed; No Injuries

A suspicious object discovered in the parking lot of The Capital Church, 1308 U.S. 70 in Garner, shortly after 7 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, was determined to be a hazardous device and was rendered safe and destroyed by explosive technicians, police said. Authorities reported no injuries and said no fragmentation was associated with the device.

Officers evacuated the immediate area and temporarily closed nearby roads while hazardous-device technicians investigated, and all roads were later reopened after the scene was secured. The Raleigh Police Department Hazardous Device Unit was credited with destroying the device, and Garner Police Department is leading the ongoing investigation.

Multiple law-enforcement units assisted on scene as part of the response. JoCo Report said the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and North Carolina State University Police helped secure the scene and check the church property. WRAL observed multiple responding agencies, including NC State Campus Police and Garner police, outside The Capital Church.

Investigative activity at and around the church included officers canvassing nearby businesses to ask whether anyone had seen unusual activity, police said. JoCo Report noted Garner Police credited proactive patrol efforts by their officers with locating the device before it could cause harm. At this stage, officials said there was no indication the incident was religiously motivated.

Local witnesses described a heavy law-enforcement presence outside the church. Danielle Barbour told WRAL, “I rode by the stop sign and I saw all the police, and I was just in shock and didn’t know what was going on,” adding, “I’ve driven by the church for the past three years.” Sahil Kumar told WRAL, “It’s just been a lot to see for us, for just a local place, it’s very safe. We’ve never seen that many cops at once.”

Authorities have not released additional technical details about the device’s appearance or the specific method used to render it safe. WTVD said, “No further details were available at this time, and updates will be provided if new information arises.” Garner Police Department remains the investigative lead and has not announced any arrests or suspects as of the latest statements; the department continues to examine the scene and follow leads.